


The Clot

by DustyLynx



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Drama, Friendship, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, M/M, Male Pregnancy, Swearing, Torture, Translation, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-16
Updated: 2021-01-30
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:20:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 73
Words: 104,297
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23432314
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DustyLynx/pseuds/DustyLynx
Summary: When did life start going downhill?Error couldn’t answer. He didn’t see his path as something to climb, which meant that there couldn’t be a slope going downhill. He saw life as black and straight, running across the blank emptiness of the Void. No rising, no falling. Just a sequence of events that leaves new scars on bones. Endless battles on the way to the outcome — routine. Madness — the truth of life.Not to mention this pregnancy — unwanted, hateful and painful.
Relationships: Error/Ink, Error/Nightmare
Comments: 335
Kudos: 666





	1. Downhill

**Author's Note:**

  * A translation of [Сгусток](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/576562) by sariko-3. 



> General warnings for all chapters: violence and swearing.  
> Extra warnings will be given out on chapters if needed.  
> Work tags are subject to change.

When did life start going downhill?

Error couldn’t answer. He didn’t see his path as something to climb, which meant that there couldn’t be a slope going downhill. He saw life as black and straight, running across the blank emptiness of the Void. No rising, no falling. Just a sequence of events that leaves new scars on bones. Endless battles on the way to the outcome — routine. Madness — the truth of life.

The black skeleton knew of his mental instability. He knew that he wasn’t alright. But he believed that all of their damned universes weren’t alright! And he could cure them. Radically and effectively. Clean the way for the development of the original world, thin out, though ideally destroy, parallel tumour-like worlds.

Purely for the sake of this, he battled, killed, time after time he rose after being severely wounded and continued towards the goal, turning a deaf ear to opinions from the opposite side. Damned Ink with his eternal words about treasure and friendship. He was wrong!

But every encounter saw annoyance and a drop of trust in his hardened soul. Maybe, there is another way? No. Error believed that there wasn’t. And, with that, he waved off the restless guardian of the worlds.

All in vain, probably. Error thought that if he had switched sides, had he believed in the opposite way, he wouldn’t be in this terrifying situation that he was currently in. Hanging, to be precise. In shackles, by the ceiling. His feet didn’t reach the floor. His whole body cried from the constant strain. But the black skeleton couldn’t care less about such matters. All that he wanted right now — to die.

Right now, immediately, quickly and painlessly!

But who would give such a generous gift? There is no one like that. He hangs, so that he can’t give that gift to himself. Nightmare is not an idiot. Just a psycho. But if before his lunacy looked logical and made sense, then over the course of the last week, the octopus finally lost his mind. How else could one explain his last actions?

Error gritted his teeth and tried not to think, not to remember. But the scattered stream of thoughts fit all his memories before his eyes like a jigsaw puzzle.

That day, he and the nightmares were messing around in one of the worlds. Nightmare was feeding, his “children” were killing and having fun while Error was digging in the world’s code trying to find the most effective way to destroy the given mistake.

Everything ended predictably. Ink showed up and chased away the nightmares. Error didn’t even fight him. It wasn’t his job to get the bruises meant for Nightmare. And that was his first step towards falling into the abyss.

Error was always civil in the group led by the lord of nightmares. He would join in and help whenever he wanted. And that arrangement did not please Nightmare. Like a mad collector, he wanted to have such a powerful Sans among his followers. He wanted to dominate over him.

To be under someone’s thumb, or tentacle in this case, is not what the destroyer wanted. That’s what he said to the octopus.

Apparently, Nightmare had been planning the following for a long time. Gave the signal to the other “nightmares”, and Error barely had any time to escape the more dangerous attacks and block the rest. Horror’s axe, Killer’s knife, Dust’s bones. But let Nightmare out of his sight. For a fraction of a moment. And that was enough. The tentacles grabbed and squeezed. Bones cracked, crunched and broke.

Nightmare demanded obedience, commitment and other shit alike. Error would tell him to go on an erotic journey to Lusttale. Then, he would get punished. He would be demanded from again. He would once again tell him the same and be punished again. There was not one whole bone left in Error’s body yet his gaze held its firmness.

The torture continued until both were completely exhausted. And it was then the lord of the nightmares decided to take a desperate step full of madness: he dragged Error into the basement.

His “team” watched over this with uncontainable nervousness. They didn’t like what was happening. Then, after understanding what occured in the basement, they were now earnestly terrified of meeting the same fate.

“Either you agree to be my pawn, or I will make it so that you will regret your refusal and you will be sorry till the end of your worthless life, Error!” growled Nightmare in the destroyer’s face as he hung him in shackles by the ceiling.

“Go to Lusttale, motherfucker!” 

Apparently, Nightmare had been there once, because he undressed Error fast, even professionally. Wrapped him in tentacles, spread his legs…

He wasn’t lying, Error did regret it. Not the refusal, but the fact that he ever got involved with the Nightmares. Loneliness, if you think about it, is not such a bad thing. Especially when comparing it with such people.

The saving reboots would carry him off every minute. But then the next minute they would return him, let him gasp some air and after a long scream take him away again. His voice went hoarse on the third time. Everything lower than his waist, he stopped feeling after the fifth. Then everything was somehow the same.

His head was empty. In his throat, a bitter lump. His body twitched and swung on the chains from movements that weren’t his. Black, slick tentacles twined around him like weeds in a bog. They stuck, tied and dragged him to the bottom. And Error choked with the horror of what was happening.

Nightmare finished in a body that was silent and unconscious. He didn’t care, he was going to get the answer from the “prideling” later anyway, even if he had to repeat this process again. He decided that either the black skeleton comes out of the basement like an obedient dog, or he dies.

This happened a week ago. Since then, Nightmare had repeated the rape thrice. And every time, the answer to his demands would be a telling to go and learn to have sex better, for he was a disgusting lover.

For insolent remarks, he would get more. Or rather lose. His third rib was already dust. Blood flowed down, decorating the black bones with crimson lines. But it didn't hurt anymore. It was habitual, even. The important thing was to be able to fall asleep. Nothing else matters.

And that’s how it went, until the torturer showed up again.

Error stopped keeping track of time. His whole body screamed in agony. He just wanted to die. But, while in chains, he couldn’t reach his eye sockets to summon the strings that would help him end his pitiful existence. Nightmare still expected to hear words of loyalty from him. Until he came into the basement for the last time.

Error felt sick. More and more with every minute.

Illness. What did he want? Prison cells aren’t a resort with hammocks, neither tropics with warm sun. Here it was cold, damp, there were rats, and his bones had long since gone numb from the restraints. He had so little magic left, that even if his hands were freed, he wouldn’t be able to summon his strings anyway. He wasn’t given any food to restore his magic.

Error had tried to count how long he had been there, from the rate he was losing his magic. He became horrified — three months. Yet he didn’t believe it and counted again. The result didn’t change, he was suffering from torture for the third month now.

The nausea became stronger. A bitter lump of old magic formed in his throat.

“Listen, glitched freak, will you finally become my faithful servant or do you need another reminder of what happens to those, who don't obey me?” he heard the hated voice say through a veil of giddiness. “Answer me, you freak!”

He threw up. Sadly, none got on Nightmare.

“You bastard!”

Don’t get used to being beaten. If only he’d hit harder, so that Error's soul flew out. A couple of hits landed on his head, and a trickle of blood flowed down his skull. Down his neck, his ribs, to his legs, and dripped onto the floor of the basement.

His pride whined like a mauled dog, but Error wasn’t going to betray himself. Especially not after everything he’s been through. Better to die, than to lie at the feet of that motherfucker.

Nightmare readied his fist and stopped, slowly lowered his arm.

“Why can’t you just admit yourself to me?”

No answer. Error couldn’t feel himself in this world anymore. More like on the way to the other.

Nightmare shook the powerless body and grimaced. He didn’t need to go down into this basement anymore. Error couldn’t leave it now.

With these thoughts, Night made his way up the crooked stone stairs, and went into the living room, where his “nightmares” were messing about. Finding the most prompt one with his eyes, he commanded:

“Dust! Feed my pet.”

The dusty one didn’t at first realize, that Nightmare meant Error. When he understood, he was surprised. Is he really still alive?

The rest glanced at each other nervously. Neither one of them expected that Error, even though a world destroyer, would last this long. They thought that he dusted in the first month of suffering. Then realising, that if that wasn’t true, they became more restless. What if he did dust, and Night is simply luring the next toy into the basement?

They looked at Dust like he was the next victim. Which is certainly what he felt like. He would get down there and be in shackles with tentacles in his ass.

“Why me?” the dusty one tried to refuse. No one thought to mock him about this. The “nightmares”, like rats, fled from the living room, leaving Dust alone with Boss.

“There’s no one else to.” waved Nightmare at the empty room and left.

Once sure that he did not go down into the basement, Dust slowly made his way to the kitchen, got some food and approached the stone staircase. Looking into the dark abyss into which the steps led, he cursed and lit a torch.

There was light at the bottom, coming from a magical lamp which glowed steadily but dimly. In its light, Dust saw a shape in the cell. There were no other prisoners in the there, so it could only be Error. Only Dust didn’t recognise him.

Once thought to be unbeatable, the destroyer hung, spread, by the wall. Naked, beaten, raped, broken.

Gaze detached, tired, he looked sick. Error was shivering, and at times, though barely audible, he whined from pain. A feverish blush was burning on his cheekbones.

“Error? Dammit! How are you? Okay, dumb question. Wait. I’ll think of something.”

What could he do?

“Kill him!” happily suggested the ghost of Papyrus.

But Dust waved him away.

“Shut up.”

The chains gave out a dying clang and fell. Error moaned from the pain in his wrecked body, having switched position for the first time in three months. Dust brought him a blanket. Covered him as best as he could. Didn’t get any gratitude, and he didn’t need any anyway.

Error point-blank refused to eat. Dust put his hand on his chest, sharing his magic with him.

In response to this, Error let out a rasping sound, as if growling. He couldn’t speak, he had lost his voice.

“Quiet, quiet. Don’t twitch.” The dusty one looked at the wounds, shards of ribs and didn’t know how to help.

“What are you doing, brother? We should kill! Not help!” cried Papyrus.

But Dust did not pay attention to him. He was trying to reduce infection. In the depth of his soul knowing that it would be more humane to finish Error off.

And the ghost of Papyrus did not miss his chance to say his thoughts out loud:

“See, he’s dying. Blood poisoning or something worse will kill him. He’s already barely breathing. Why shouldn’t we end his suffering? You know that Nightmare wouldn’t be that humane. And your friend will die a slow and torturing death.”

Dust was uncomfortable at the voice of his subconscious.

Friend, huh? If Error really was his friend, he wouldn’t have helped Nightmare to catch him. But he did. He saw the first part of the tortures and knew what happened in the basement. And yet he didn’t get involved. He thought, that they are all motherfuckers and such fate was inevitable.

They all deserve to suffer!

But Error was always nice to him. Not as a friend, but as if he was a drowning person who shared his raft with him. Each one knew, that eventually they were going to tear each other’s throats out for that raft. But no one went first. Now Dust was the only one on that raft. While Error sunk to the bottom.

“I can’t kill him. For that, Nightmare will make me his next “pet” to fuck. And why am I answering you? You don't exist, you don't exist, you don't exist.”

Error twitched and looked at Dust with light interest. But it soon died down and the destroyer stared at the floor once again.

Dust fussed around him a bit more and left, promising:

“I will come back.”

After visiting the basement, something as if shifted in the dusty one’s soul, and in his system of appreciation. For the rest of the day, he walked as if after the first genocide. Detached, a bit scared, and his grin more false than usual. Killer couldn’t resist it any more and waved a hand before his eyes. When the other didn't react, he amusedly concluded:

“Likely told that he is the next in line. Trying to get over it, poor fellow!” 

Dust flinched, grabbed his own head and howled. Horror held his axe tighter and moved further away. Who knows, what might enter the schizophrenic’s deranged mind. But something did.

Dust waited for Nightmare and, as if casually, asked:

“How many times do I feed him in a day? I couldn’t feed him even once.”

Nightmare gritted his teeth and waved his tentacles around, as if he was telling Dust to not bother him with such questions in Morse code.

“Figure it out yourself!” he finally said.

Getting a carte blanche, the dusty one once again went down into the basement. And was horrified.

After a short half-day, the destroyer completely lost hope and the strength to keep fighting for his life. He looked dead. The bones grayed, eye sockets empty, he didn’t react to being shaken.

“Hey, I brought you food. Eat. Come on.”

But the black skeleton’s head was hanging powerlessly, and the eyelights did not start burning in his eye sockets.

“Error, you need to eat!” Dust said more firmly, opening the black skeleton’s mouth. But there was no use in this. Error had given up. He wasn’t going to regain his consciousness anymore, hope for something, and was ready to finish his being in the casemates of the castle.

Dust looked around in fright. As if he waited that Nightmare was going to appear behind him. And again, shared his magic with the destroyer. Only he almost immediately stopped. The magic didn’t flow into the soul, where it needs to be, but somewhere lower, closer to the hips.

He pulled back the blanket, and saw something that he did not expect. Void-dammit, who ever expects anything like this?

There, on the spine, sat a dark clot of magic. Entwined with strings, as if with vines, it slowly pulsated, consuming the magic given by Dust. The dusty one didn't notice this anomaly the first time he came down to Error, it merged with the colours of his bones, but now it weakly glowed crimson, looking like a torn-out heart. Vein-strings stretched from the glitchy soul, which was also pulsating. But so weakly and unsure, as if it was doubting whether there was any use in its pulse anymore.

Dust looked closer at the lump, and nearly jumped, when it barely moved. He moved closer and suddenly saw thin, delicate bones through the gelatinous exterior. Tiny arms, legs, head, huge eye sockets that covered half the face.

“Holy shiiiiit!”


	2. Thinking of the past

For the second time that day, Dust went to Nightmare. This time on his own, and he didn’t wait for a chance encounter.

“Hey, boss,” Dust began timidly, then coughed on air. Decidedly starting more broadly. “I think that Error looks really shitty. Maybe we should kidnap some alternative Alphys? Or he will kick the bucket.”

“Who cares?” the lord of negativity waved him off.

“But...he’s...maybe you should look for yourselves?” He decided he couldn't just say that the prisoner’s pregnant straight up. Let Nightmare see for himself. It would be enough to just look harder under the ribs. Then he could decide what to do for himself.

“And I’m not going to look!” spat Nightmare. “And if he dies — gather up his dust and throw it away. Understand?! And don't disturb me anymore. Or…”

The hint was more than clear. Dust put his hands up and retreated. Once outside of the room, he put his head on the wall.

“Shit. Everything's so shit!”

He needed to think. And his corner was the best place for thinking.

Every “nightmare” in the team had their own room. Their own corner of madness. There they did what they wanted. Horror chopped with his axe, Killer sharpened his knives, Dust would rub the grin off his face and think.

He took out a packet of tablets from his bedside table and took three. They didn't work properly on him. They made him sleepy, tired and emotional. They forced him to remember his sins not as “that had to happen” but as “why the fuck did I do that”. And he had done a lot.

That timeline completely made him lose his mind. And he killed his brother. And everyone else who he knew. But he still did not overpower the human. Yet he scared them. A lot. Either it was Chara or Frisk, they were ready to turn to pacifist. Only Sans was already broken by then. And there was no one to fix him. He thought that no one needed to anyway. And would start a genocide time after time. Time after time, he killed his friends and his brother, making the rope of lunacy stronger with new strings of death.

Then Nightmare came. The lord of nightmare wanted an example of such aggression amongst his followers and claimed him. All he needed to do was promise more LOVE and the death of all people in all worlds.

He called him the dusty one, joking about the analogy with Cinderella. Or a bloody Little Red Riding Hood. Dust couldn’t remember how, but the nickname became his name. When you're not the only Sans, and everyone around you is a Sans, it’s easier.

Then he saw the positive universes. Lots of worlds, where there weren't any genocides! And him, and his brother, were happy. Sometimes with a human.

How he hated those worlds! Why do they get to have something that he’ll never have???

The hate grew, until Error started to appear in the group. Like a curse that came and went. He drove everyone mad with his power and strength before Nightmare. The others became Nightmare's puppets, and listened to him, like their own. But Error did what he wanted. A wolf in a dog’s clothing.

They regarded him. He was the destroyer of worlds after all. But how he drove everyone mad!

He drove Dust mad too! Till shaking. And he often asked Papyrus to punish the black skeleton for it.

Error twirled his finger by his temple. He, too, was a lunatic and hallucinated with few Creators who talked with him. But for some reason refused to believe in the ghost of Papyrus and when trying to prove, that there wasn’t a ghost of his brother pursuing Dust, he rarely got anywhere.

Once, Error showed him a genocide world. It was a branch-off from Dusttale. And there Dust saw his own death. Killed by his brother. Papyrus was only defending himself. He did not wish to kill Sans. But he did. And in his eyes, fires of madness burned, the same as in Dust’s. And he...started to talk with a ghost. Called him “brother” and asked for forgiveness.

But there was no ghost by Paps’s side. 

Spellbound, Dust continued to watch the story of that world. Papyrus kept on being Papyrus. He did not kill the human. Caught them, and tried to convince them to reset the world. Successfully, too. And the world began its timer again. Only the universe stayed in this loop. Sans killed everyone, Papyrus killed him, the human reset the world. And it kept on going.

Endless agony.

Obeying the strange ghost of understanding and compassion, Dust asked Error for mercy.

“You think it will make it easier for you?”

“I hope so.”

So the universe was no more. But it did not become easier for Dust. His brother’s ghost continued mumbling that they need to kill everyone. How he was sick of him! That ghost couldn’t be his brother. His brother, even when dying, spoke of forgiveness, and even when killing, believed in better.

Then came the full realisation. This wasn’t his brother! His brother was dead! He killed him himself! The kind, dear brother who believed in better. The only brother.

Dust started taking medications. Even if they did make him weaker, they still made him more sane. The ghost shut up, his madness simmered down. But, as if in exchange, came the realisations of complete bullshit.

And incomplete bullshit, too. For example, what did it cost him to save Error and the bastard he was carrying? Right now, lift his lazy ass and save him! Nightmare was resting, Horror was eating, Killer slept. No one would get in his way.

Dust didn't think for long. He simply got up, gathered his limited possessions thrown about here and there and stuffed them in his pockets. But mainly, he took the single-use portal. It didn't work inside the territory of the castle, but it could send him further away. There should be enough energy for two.

Dust hurried into the basement.

He threw the damp blanket off the exhausted body, wrapped it in a dry one and held it in an armful. Error turned out to be so light, it was as if his bones had no weight at all. Error wasn't regaining consciousness and Dust had begun to suspect that he was too late with his rescue. Only the quiet soulbeat that could be felt through the bones told him otherwise.

Exactly as Dust expected, no one got in his way. There’s the border. The single-use portal opened its dark mouth. Question: where to go? Who will help them?

He knew one place. They won’t turn him away. They shouldn't.

The snow in Snowdin creaked under the weight of the two, the crust on top opened and swallowed his legs up to the knees. Particles of dust off the world visitor’s coat decorated it like grey confetti. The body in his arms continued to hold a deathly silence, and the lights of the town before them glowed.

Dust knew where to go. He had lived in the same place, the same house...a very long time ago.

Monsters looked around at him, pointed and made way for him in fear and he got to the house quickly, knocking on the door on which a wreath hung. He mused to himself who would open the door: Papyrus, with whom he didn't want to get involved with now, or his brother who can call for help.

He was lucky: the door was opened by cheerful Blue. Of course, all his cheerfulness evaporated as soon as he saw the sombre Dust. He was thinking of readying for a battle, but his attention turned to the wrapped body he was holding and he got confused.

“We need help. Quickly. Call Ink.”

And he did. Though, more truthfully, threw a bottle of ink on the floor, and soon the battle-ready guardian stepped out of the puddle. And, too, was struck dumb. A gloomy Dust more or less fitted into the picture, but an injured Error — that was way too much. Ink felt so many emotions at once, that he threw up.

“Is that Error?” asked the guardian, as if that wasn’t already obvious. He came up close and shuddered. A network of cracks covered his skull and, from some, blood was leaking. “What happened to him?”

“All questions later. Where do we take him? He’s about to dust!”

Ink opened a portal into his Void, where he was met by a concerned Dream:

“Where did you go so sudden- Dust? Error? What are you…”

“Later!” Ink cut him off and led them into the guest room, where he helped to lay the destroyer’s body on the bed.

Dust immediately went to a corner and pretended as if he wasn’t there and that he didn't have any relation to what was happening.

Dream couldn't hold back a scream, for Error looked so terrible. Ink drank some white paint, turning off all emotions. They would only get in the way now.

“Blue, bring some hot water. Preferably boiling. Dream, my healing paints. Dust...have some rest.”

When everything needed for healing was by the bed Ink slowly pulled the blanket off the naked body.

Dust was quiet. He didn't want to say what they needed to see for themselves. They probably already have, as they froze in unison.

“What is...that?” For a long time, Ink never experienced such shock. To be honest, he couldn’t remember when something, like this, happened before. He stared at the clot on the spine as if it was something horrible and beautiful at the same time. “Who…?”

The question was addressed to Dust. He slowly answered:

“Nightmare.”

Ink couldn't reboot, so simply fell into a stupor. Dream couldn't vomit ink, but wasn’t against using his breakfast as a substitute. Blue simply gasped and covered his mouth with his hands.

“But...how? Why?!” Dream knew well enough, that his hate-poisoned brother was incapable of loving anyone, so he wasn’t going to like the answer.

“Nightmare was trying to get commitment out of Error. With torture. Sexual included.”

The guardians shared a look and decided to put further questions on hold. Error needed immediate help while the answers led into a stupor and got in the way of their concentration.

Ink felt the magic and was surprised. There was almost none of Error’s own. The poor guy was holding onto the raw magic given by Dust. He glanced at the dusty one and didn’t comment on his kindness and care. Gave him a grateful smile instead. Then touched the clot and, feeling its movement, jerked his hand back.

They spread the responsibilities. Blue washed the bones. Dream was busy with small cracks and bruises. Ink was in charge of the more heavier wounds. He looked at Error’s right arm for a long time. There were so many infected cracks in it, that it would’ve been easier to tear it off and draw a new one. He decided not to. He swore through his teeth and began healing the limb. Luckily, it was saved.

Thanks to the healing paint, the skull stopped bleeding and a thin skin formed on the wounds. It wasn’t so with the ribs. Almost all the ribs had to be redrawn.

Blue reached the pelvis and looked away. Not because of embarrassment, but because of the realisation of how cruel his alternate versions could be.

“Ink…” 

The artist stopped painting over the cuts on the spine, looked at where the young skeleton was pointing at and reached for the healing paints.

On the washed bones, the wounds appeared like glow-in-the-dark painted murals at night. The pelvis bones were broken in three locations and hewn from the inside from forced penetration of unwanted magic. On the left, a part of the iliac crest wasn't there and the tail, as in the end of the coccyx, was cut off.

Only after an hour, could the guardians breathe a sigh of relief. Error didn’t look like a corpse dug up from a graveyard so much anymore. But he wasn’t much closer to being a fully healthy skeleton either. The destroyer didn't regain consciousness, and he wasn’t looking like he was going to do so for a while.

With some difficulty, they got him to take some medicine. Error gave a sign of life: weakly, barely audibly, he coughed.

They gathered in the kitchen. Instead of tea, it felt like something stronger was needed, but they needed their minds to remain sober right now.

Dream was in the worst shock. His brother did a lot of terrible things, but he never thought that he would...would do something like that.

“How are you?” Ink, worried over his friend’s being, squeezed Dream’s shoulder.

“Trying to accept the thought that my brother is a much bigger asshole than I had previously thought. And with the fact that, under the ribs of the worlds’ destroyer, grows my nephew. Nightmare and Error — what kind of child would that come out of that?!” Notes of panic cut through Dream’s voice. With barely noticeable hope, that the child won’t make it.

“I didn't expect any of this either.” admitted Dust. He was sitting away from everyone else and looked out the window with an empty gaze. “When it all began, I didn't think about it so much. They will work things out between each other, I thought. Didn't matter who was in favour of what.” Dust shook his head. It was hard for him to keep talking. Partly because of his medicine, partly due to the situation as a whole. “Error always distanced himself from us. He didn't listen to Nightmare. Who couldn't sit still without total control. It drove him mad. And he finally went mad. I’m not going back to that bastard.”

“And no one will let you go back to him.” Blue said suddenly.

“Are you afraid that I will lead him to you?” huffed Dust, looking away from the artificial sun and instead stared at blue stars that burned bright with worry.

“No,” Blue shook his head. “we are afraid that the same thing that happened to Error will happen with you.”

“Blue’s right,” Dream rubbed his face. “my brother has fully lost himself in his lunacy. Now even his followers aren’t safe. If you return there, the best case scenario would be him killing you. In the worst case…” the keeper of dreams looked towards the room where Error was.

Ink was quiet. He drank tea, thinking of something important and was grinning slightly.

Yes, the situation was terrible. What happened to Error was disturbing. But he could get some use even out of this.

“I don't like the fact that you're drinking yellow paint right now, my friend.” noticed Dream.

“Don't worry. You know that I only do good for the universes.”

“Yeah, only at times,” Dream twitched, “your feats suffer from the lack of morals, normal behaviour, ethics and understanding of being humane.”

Blue, too, gave a remark of something similar, then moved closer to Dust. Who frowned, not understanding that his madness — a mere nuisance compared with the soullessness of the guardian of universes.

“Don't worry, I'm not going to lose my head this time. But I want to propose a risky plan to get revenge on Nightmare and weaken him. Ideally, return him to normal. As much as it’s possible, of course.”

Interested, Dream and Blue moved forward. But as soon as they heard it, they both paled from indignation. Dust applauded instead. He liked the plan. Even his hallucination of Papyrus couldn't find any fault in it.


	3. Trembling

Error regained consciousness and for a long time couldn’t think why he was alive, why wasn’t he in a vertical position anymore, in which he spent all those months, instead, why was he lying in a bed, covered with a soft duvet? It’s unlikely that Nightmare pitied him, that wasn’t in his character. But then why was he here, and where was ‘here’?

It was too calm around, and too many colourful hues, even the ceiling was brightly coloured. Definitely not the nightmare’s castle.

Voices came from behind the door.

“I will be surprised if he doesn’t try to noose himself.”

“Stop it, Dream. It’s horrible for him now anyway. But he’s strong. I will believe in the better.”

Ink and Dream came into the room.

“How are you?” Ink came right up to the bed.

“The dumbest question you could’ve asked right now!” snapped Error. His voice was croaky and weak.

“You’re snarling in response, so you’ll live.” the artist smiled.

Error thought to get up and clobber him, but he twitched and realised that he won’t be getting up anytime soon. His body reacted heavily and reluctantly. It even cost him great effort to lift his arm.

“Error, don’t waste your energy. You need it to get better quicker.” Ink sat on the edge of the bed and put a tray with lunch on the bedside table. Some broth and an omelette.

“How did I get here?”

“Dust brought you.”

Error’s eyelights disappeared. Out of all of Nightmare’s followers, Dust was the only one with whom, more or less, the destroyer had comradely relations. But they couldn’t call themselves friends. Though they would give each other a helping hand and cover each other’s backs in a battle. Error didn’t expect that schizophrenic to show so much kindness and participation to risk his own life and take him out of the cells in the castle of the lord of nightmares. By the way, he did try to make him eat, that Error remembered.

His head was spinning from the deficiency of magic, and he reached for the plate. Then hissed from the pain that ran through his body.

“Don't move yet. We relatively returned your body into order, but you have a very high deficiency of magic and…” Ink stuttered. Even his eyelights went out. When they returned, they were spirals that didn't bode well. He continued in a more quiet and crumpled voice: “Anyway, you need more time for recovery. Dream, help him to sit up.”

Error hissed, glitched, promised to punish them horrendously, but all that he could do was endure the touching and then obediently open his mouth when a spoon was brought to it. But, only after two spoons, he felt unbearably bad. He vomited, and his consciousness became hazy.

He felt giddy and really weary. No matter how much he slept, he couldn't get enough sleep. During his next awakening he saw a terrified Ink and Blue who had an IV drip stand and set at the ready. It turned out that he had slept for the whole week.

Strange things continued to happen with food. Error wanted to eat, but he felt nauseous from any type of food. Even from chocolate. And if only it were just the nausea, as he also vomited unprocessed magic. And that made the already high deficiency worse, which caused drowsiness. And it all went in a cycle.

The only thing that warmed his soul was the fact that he was safe. No one was going to torture him and break his bones anymore. What else did he need? But a thought kept invading his mind, that all wasn’t so rainbow-coloured yet. And the strained looks that the Stars shared and the strange grimaces from Dust confirmed that. The dusty one was always with foolishness, and it seemed that it had reached its peak.

Dust visited him rarely, and behaved weirdly when he did. He would avert his eyes, and would say random things that were out of place. And in his last visit, Error couldn’t take his antics anymore:

“Stop bugging me, and tell me. What do you want?”

“To apologize.”

“What?”

“I shouldn't have let Nightmare take you prisoner. I knew that he raped you. But I didn't care. Again, I ignored a problem instead of resolving it. In the same way as I did in my world. I dragged it out.” He smiled. “I’m glad that this time I acted right. But I should've helped you much earlier. I’m sorry for that.”

Embarrassed, Error mumbled something akin to:

“Don't bother about it,” and for the first time, looked at Dust like a friend. “If it weren’t for you, I would've died in that cell. Thank you.”

Then the destroyer fell asleep yet again. In general, all he did was eat and sleep. He didn’t find much interest in anything and couldn’t recover completely.

Mostly, it was Ink who sat with Error. Someone would always be next to him. Even at night, and that unnerved him. So, Ink looked at him with worry that was badly covered up and it was him who gave the answer to all the mysterious secrets not told by the others. Ink was accompanied by Dream, who preferred to keep away and lean on a wall.

“Error, now, while you're better. We need to talk,” he sat so close that he expected the other to try to run away and he will need to catch him. Though where to run — the destroyer still couldn't get up off the bed.

“I don't like your tone, asshole. Judging by it, I’m more injured than I previously thought. Come on, make me happy and tell me that I will spend the rest of my life in a chair with wheels.”

“Ummm, no, things aren't that bad,” Ink tried to smile, but it looked as fake as possible. “You will be able to get back on your feet after two weeks.”

“Then why the tragic tone, asshole?!” Error snarled and smacked his fist on the mattress.

Ink breathed in a little deeper and said:

“Error, you're pregnant.”

A deathly silence reigned over them. Ink waited for Error’s reaction, but Error was looking at Ink with empty eye sockets for so long, it was as if a reboot took him to unknown places. But then he thawed, and his voice filled with hope:

“I’m what? Are you joking, idiot? That’s a bad joke. A very bad one. The worst out of all your jokes.”

But Ink and Dream weren’t laughing. They continued to worryingly look at the destroyer.

“He’s not joking,” Dream knocked the last nail into the coffin for Error’s hope. “I’m afraid that you are bearing a child. From my brother.”

Error’s shaky fingers immediately reached down, towards the spine, then a bit higher and almost instantly felt, under the rib cage, something dense and alive.

The shock of it was so big that Error couldn’t recover from it during the next two hours. The guardians have already started to worry, but finally the black skeleton regained self-control and finished another reboot. He was breathing heavily, his eyelights flashed like broken car lights while his hands shook like he was freezing.

“It can't be...true.” he croaked. Reached again towards his spine and immediately jerked his hand back as if he had burned it.

“I’m sorry Error, but it’s true.” said Ink, and, before Error could begin to ask him to rid him of the unwanted pregnancy, he told him one idea as carefully as he could. “Listen, I understand that you have had a terrifying experience. And that you don’t need that child. And you don’t give them a drop of proper feelings anyway. But can I ask you not to kill it?” 

“Now you want to get a pet destroyer?!” spat the black skeleton and tried to move further away from the artist. “Someone already tried to!”

“No,” Ink continued to speak calmly. “I just want to revive Dreamtale. And your child can help. Just think about it, the revival of the native universe of the apple brothers will really hit hard on Nightmare. Possibly rid him of his power.”

“You want to convince me to get revenge on him?” the black skeleton narrowed his eyes. He saw a trick in it. But also benefit. 

“You can get back at him in your own way. How is my plan worse than yours then? You’ll get back on your feet and recover. And you won’t have to bother with the child. He has an uncle.”

Dream grimaced. He saw nothing good in the yet unborn child. And he already felt how the new little nightmare was pressuring him with its existence.

Error looked at Dream’s reaction and smirked.

“I’ll think about it. I need to think about a lot of things. Leave me alone for now, OK?”

“Yes, of course.” the guardians hurried to the door, and soon, Error was alone. Only then did he allow himself to let out a sob. Soundlessly and painfully.

Dream felt the stream of negative emotions from behind the door and threw a reproving look at Ink.

“Ink, it’s too much. Forcing him to keep the child and expect aid from him in a morally horrific plan of saving my universe.”

“But a real plan, Dream. If everything goes well, your world will live again and your brother will return to you. I thought you would be happy.”

“I would be, if I didn't feel how the raped skeleton in that room is suffering.”

“Then why didn’t you say anything against it when he was unconscious? You could’ve killed your nephew — and that would’ve been the end of it. The same for the chance to return Dreamtale its future.”

The keeper of dreams looked away. That’s why he kept quiet, as he wouldn’t have been able to raise a fist at an innocent child. Albeit an unwanted one. But Ink was sly, he wouldn’t have done anything by himself. He would’ve crossed his arms and watched. And then would’ve patted Dream’s back, while the other admitted his powerlessness.

“You be how you want to be. Just know that it’s really bad for Error now.”

To this, Ink stubbornly said:

“Life is pain. He made many suffer. I know that it’s bad for him, and can be worse, but as I already said, he’s strong. He’ll recover, survive, shake it off and will get up on his feet again.”

“I hope you’re right. I really do.” Dream waved his hand in farewell and left into his half-dead world.

Ink wiped the grin that he was bored with off his face and looked towards the black skeleton’s room with barely noticeable sympathy. He, too, hoped that Error will recover from all of this. And not just hoped, he was going to help him with it. And get what he always wanted from that blackboned stubbornness.


	4. Decision

During the whole of the next day, Error was fighting with the wish to immediately rid himself of the unwanted “guest” because of which he couldn’t eat well and would throw up too well.

“Disgusting! Not only did that bastard fuck me, he also put another bastard inside of me! Grrrr!!! How I hate him!!!” was Error’s average thought topic.

He ran from anger to apathy then back again thirty times that day. During that period, no one came into the room except Ink. The artist was incredibly irritating with his feigned care and attentiveness. He would plump up the pillow, or make the other eat, or put the bucket near (when will the food finally stop running out of him?!), or set up the IV, or offer him something disgusting on a spoon. He didn’t react to the other’s anger. And wouldn’t leave him alone for long.

He offered different types of entertainment. On the brink of reach stood a pile of comics and books, glasses included. A sketchbook with paints went straight at the artist’s head. While Error moved needles with yarn a bit closer.

But it was all nonsense. An attempt to distract himself from problems, which started to rather unnecessarily and energetically move in the last few days.

“Error, if you’re going to keep on tossing and turning like that, the cracks will open up again and will have to be treated all over again. Let them heal already.”

“I know that, asshole. I just wanted to see what I have there!” Error, again, tried to twist and look at the clot. But, again, he couldn’t. His bones rattled, hummed and didn’t let him change position.

His fingers froze a centimetre away from the clot. He felt squeamish to touch it. But his curiosity was bigger than squeamishness. So, when finally Ink left for a minute, Error tried to summon his strings.

The others told him that he won’t be able to control his magic, as it was all being used for self-healing and the child. They were right. Strings left his eyes but were overly thin and delicate. You can’t swing or lift yourself up on those. Though he didn’t need that. He needed a mirror off the chest of drawers.

Error hung the mirror above himself and pulled the duvet off. Just like he imagined, the clot looked like a parasite stuck to his spine. Like a thick, fattened worm! He put his glasses on and saw details. He saw how it moved and felt those very same movements. He shuddered. The mirror reflected how the being inside turned over on a different side. And the skull with big eye sockets became visible. It held its hands near its mouth, as if it had been sucking its thumb earlier. Its legs were tucked up, which occasionally kicked out at the walls of its tight “prison”. A tiny skeleton.

Spellbound, Error started looking for new details. Counted the fingers and toes, looked for the tiny joints and tried to look at the soul. It was so small that it barely flickered behind the thin ribs.

When did he get pregnant? Really, during the first week in the basement?

“Did you survive all that hell with me?”

As if affirming it, the child kicked his legs and changed position again.

Error put the mirror away and thoughtlessly stared up at the ceiling. Life had never seemed so hard to him before. And he couldn’t express the same level of hate to the child, as to Nightmare, anymore.

Nightmare, damned Nightmare! How dare he! Why? Did he really need to sink so low? For what?! Not for the emergence of offspring?

“Ha! He doesn't know that I'm alive and carrying his bastard inside me. And he has no idea how fucked he is. Ink’s right, Dreamtale can be resurrected with the union of Nightmare and Dream’s powers. But their offspring can be used too. Though the chance isn’t great. The child should have similar power and energy to the lord of nightmares’. But there is a chance.” he thought.

Ink came back with a whole bucket of hot water. He needed to wash the injuries and use his brush on a few places. The guardian thought that Error was going to be stubborn and try to resist the excess touching, but the destroyer was so immersed in his thoughts that he didn’t notice what was happening. He only moved when the “doctor” touched his pelvis.

“Error, I’m not doing you any harm. I just need to wash and heal it. Don’t shiver like that.”

But Error continued to shiver and tried to move away from every touch. There was no trace of embarrassment, only fear. He realised how he feared a repeat of what happened in Nightmare’s basement. And, if before he had managed to keep himself steady, now came the full realisation of the horror he had experienced. It fell on him and hit every injured bone with a giant hammer.

“Nooo!”

Then his memory became murky. It seemed that Ink was trying to hold him still but everything was spinning in his head and in the guardian’s place Error saw the damned octopus, then Dream leaned over him and good dreams followed.

“I warned you.” was all that the keeper of dreams said.

“Yeah, yeah, I remember.” Ink was painting over deep, bleeding scratches. “It would be better if you help with dreams. Next time you may not be near. I will need him calm.”

“You remember, I’d rather you understood.” Dream decided not to continue. Ink was stubborn, he would turn a deaf ear to any lectures. He simply put a box of spheres under the bed. In each was either a sweet dream or pacifying calm. “If anything, you can always take a tranquilizer.”

“You might as well have said an electric shocker. I’m scared of hurting the child.”

Ink finished healing himself and clicked his tongue: after the struggle, some of Error’s wounds opened up. He had to heal them anew. Good thing he was asleep.

The black skeleton woke up only after a couple of hours. Morally shattered and flattened by the memories.

“How are you?”

Error didn't reply. He couldn't quite regain full consciousness and felt like he was wandering on the border of the land of dreams. He noticed that the less medicine he was given by the guardians, the more restless he felt. Evidently, amongst the syrups mingled sedatives. Maybe he could ask them to increase the dose?

“Not bad,” he tried to get up and hissed from pain. His bones hurt as if they were broken only yesterday. He looked at Ink and saw his scratched arms. The bloody lines were already healing thanks to the paint and some had become faint marks, but Error remembered how he had inflicted them on the guardian’s arms, when confusing him with Nightmare. “Sorry.”

“Nonsense.” Ink waved it off. “Do you want me to bring you anything?”

“My will.”

“Not funny.”

“I know,” Error put his hand on the clot and, barely noticeably, gently squeezed it. From that gesture, Ink almost jumped and almost started to beg him. But his former enemy surprised him. “I made my decision. I will give this child to you.”

Pleas stuck in his throat, Ink could only huskily give out:

“Why?”

“Not why, but what for. You will resurrect Dreamtale, I will get revenge on Nightmare. Everything works out.”

Ink wavered. Just yesterday, he would’ve happily accepted this decision, but, after seeing a terrified Error trying to fight off an invisible enemy, he nearly started to have doubts. Maybe it’s not worth it? Maybe the cost will be too great? The child will be a daily reminder of the past rape.

And Error knows this too. Then why did he agree? Has the wish of revenge really overcome the wish of peace in his soul? Or was the reason for his decision different?

The guardian of the alternative universes looked at the destroyer’s face and saw no hints of anger. If anything, the destroyer looked sad and bewildered.

“Thank you, Error. I promise that you won’t be in the need of anything during those months. I will give you anything you need. If you want something, just tell me, and I will create it or get it.”

“Chocolate. I want chocolate.”

Ink brightly smiled and got up. Started to warm up.

“From Underfell, right? Let’s clean up someone’s problems.”

From the sight of the guardian going to business, a smile appeared on Error’s face by own accord. He held in his laughter as much as he could, but couldn’t contain himself and snorted into his fist. When the guardian, after digging around with his arm in a portal, instead of FellChocolate pulled out Fell himself, Error couldn’t hold it in anymore and began to laugh out loud.

But Ink didn’t get confused. He made his scariest face and demanded:

“Chocolate, or your life!”

Fell was ready to give both, if his death wasn’t going to be a painful one. He dived back into his world like a fish from a boat, leaving a stack of chocolate, his wallet and gold tooth behind.

“Ink, you’re a monster.” the destroyer was crying from laughter.

“I know.” the guardian of alternative universes agreed self-contentedly and unwrapped the first chocolate bar.


	5. The Dust

Dust evoked a two-sided feeling from the guardians. He was closer to the original Sans than any of them put together. But he had committed a terrible evil — for the better, he thought. In truth, he was first led by despair, then insanity.

Dust was broken. Shattered to pieces. And no-one thought that it was possible to rebuild a reasonable being from those pieces. Everyone thought that his madness was something unchangeable.

Yet, here he is, at the table with the guardians, washing down his tablets with strong tea. There is no trace of lunacy on his face, only resignation. Treatment in Asylumtale showed its results. Or rather, the beginnings of them.

That day, when Dust showed up on the Swaps’ doorstep and brought Error, became a crucial one. And while the others were healing Error, it seemed that he continued to break in half. One half fell off and disappeared, leaving behind an emptiness. The other half stayed and became what Dust most felt like — a piece of shit.

Before he had some sort of stability. The room in the castle, Nightmare as a replacement for his mind and a pile of freaks: each — an embodiment of every side of his shitty life. But he abandoned all of that, in the same way as his own universe. And now, again, had nothing, except a trace of hope not to wake up tomorrow. Because, if he does wake up, he will have to clean up his mess.

That day, he had a lot of questions thrown at him, to which he knew no answers. Or he pretended that he didn’t. For instance, Dream was surprised that someone like Error had friends.

“Me and Error aren’t friends. Under Nightmare’s wing is a spawn of killers and maniacs, not a comfy nest of friendship. But he was the only one who treated me with...understanding. And tried to help. In a twisted way, though. In his own style. But he made me understand that I can’t keep running from my sins forever. That sooner or later I will have to grasp and accept them. Fuck, he was the first drop of me understanding that I messed up!” Dust covered his face with his hands. “How I fucked up everything!!!”

Blue couldn’t take it and tried to calm him down, stroking the dusty one’s back. And, a minute later, realised that it wasn't dirt that was rubbing off on his hand, but the dust of dead monsters. This made the young skeleton darken a bit, but he didn't take his hand away and continued to console the other.

“If you understood it, then you have become a better person already” he said firmly.

Dust took his hands away from his face and looked at the other skeletons at the table in disbelief. No one judged him, their faces were full of sympathy.

“If you did understand, then why did you choose to stay with my brother?” asked Dream.

“What else could I do?” the sensible maniac grinned sadly. “Come back home? That’s the first place they will look for me in. Besides, I really don't want to. I can already imagine that, if I will have to go across a stream of resets again, my hands begin to shake and reach for a knife. No! I've had enough.” he shook his head furiously. “I've already jumped and waved around enough because of mad Creators. I’m never going back to my world anymore.” 

Dream smiled in understanding, and Ink began to speak, who was more interested in the future rather than the past:

“How do you think Nightmare will react to your escape and Error’s disappearance?”

Dust thought about it. Most likely, Nightmare was already aware, and...what about “and”?

“I don't think that he will be looking for me so zealously. The thing is, when I was given the right to look after Error, everyone thought that once Error dies, I will be next. Nightmare could easily count me as a coward escaping responsibilities. Which would mean that he would think that Error was dead.”

“Then let's fix him on that idea,” Ink stood up from the table and commanded: “Undress!”

“Eh?”

Meanwhile, in the never-beautiful Heaventale, stood the lord of nightmares in the basement of the castle and, expressionlessly, stared at the empty shackles. There was plenty of dust about and a breeze that swept it about. Maybe it’s this pile that’s the former destroyer, maybe that one over there.

In his head rang Dust’s worried voice: “I think that Error looks really shitty. Maybe we should kidnap some alternative Alphys? Or he will kick the bucket.”

Kicked it.

Nightmare didn’t think that the destroyer would die. He didn’t want to. Didn't believe in it. He was a strong bastard. Stronger than Night himself. And harder too. He wouldn’t have given up.

“Hey, boss,” Killer slowly called him from the staircase. “You’ve been here for a few hours. Are you alright?”

Nightmare didn’t answer. Simply left the inhospitable cells.

“Where’s Dust?” he asked dully.

Killer’s eyes ran about, he became worried and, with a hysteric smile, stepped back.

“I didn't see him.”

“Find him.”

In the nightmare’s dark soul warmed a hope that was painful: what if he didn't die. And Dust, against orders, took Error to some alternate Alphys like he had suggested.

The hope died when Horror showed up. He was unusually serious and carried some sort of parcel in his arms. He put the find on the table and unwrapped it. It was Dust’s outfit. Thickly covered with fresh dust. On the chest of the top was a hole from a knife. Which, too, was lying in the parcel.

“Boss,” Killer said huskily. “He thought that you were going to take him instead when Error would die. He probably freaked out and stabbed himself.”

Nightmare stared at the clothes of the former follower with a look that gave nothing away.

“Did that fool really think that he could take Error’s place?” he asked himself and left the room which started to smell like a tomb.

Dust, again, was surprised by the harsh idea from the group of the “good guys”. And, finally, felt like he was safe. No-one would come looking for him. He was no longer in Nightmare’s team. He no longer had to take orders. He didn’t have to do anything at all really. And nowhere to go...and for no reason...and not to anyone…

The happiness of freedom sharply changed to emptiness and the feeling of uselessness. And Ink was still bombarding him with questions.

“Where do you plan to go and what do you want to do next?” But, feeling the gaze of empty eye sockets, decided to give his options. “I can offer you my couch in the living room. Sorry, the guest room is occupied by Error. But, if you are willing to wait, I can draw you your own.”

Dust was unsure. He didn’t think that he would be allowed to stay where such friendly skeletons gathered, where comfort reigned and where there were those who were willing to help wretches like him or Error.

Then Blue surprised everybody.

“If you want to, you can live with me, Dust.”

“Your brother will cut me down to nothing.” Dust grinned, not taking the young skeleton’s offer seriously.

“No,” continued Blue. “I won’t let him. Or do you think that I, one of the guardians, am weaker than my bro?”

Dream and Ink shared a glance. Why would their friend so firmly be insisting that such an unfriendly and problematic skeleton should stay in his house? But they didn’t hinder him. Blue had his own head on his shoulders.

“Let’s go!” Dust didn't have time to say anything against, as he was already grabbed by his arm and pulled into a portal.

They were escorted by their friends’ thoughtful gazes.

It had been a week since and Blue didn’t complain about the new occupant. Dust looked completely different. If you didn't know, that before you stood that very same psycho, you would’ve never believed it. And mainly, his name didn’t fit him anymore, as no more dust fell off him. Though “Dust” wasn’t even a name. More like a nickname. But he didn’t change it. You can’t change your past. And he accepted that. Let the nickname become his name and be an eternal reminder that it’s never too late to change.

Dust finished his tea and smiled. He, like Error, had a chance to start from anew. And Dust was going to use this chance to its fullest. And he hoped that Error would do the same.


	6. Fear

Ink walked in on a rather interesting picture: Error was holding his hands on the clot and was barely noticeably moving his fingers, which caused the child inside to kick out with his arms and legs. For a moment, the guardian thought that the child was in pain, but no. He was ticklish.

“He’s so sociable.”

Error jerked and immediately put his hands behind his head, as if it wasn’t him who was just playing with the future child. He enquired unhappily:

“What do you need?”

“Do you feel better? Your arms have fully healed, your ribs too. I think that you can try to stand up on your legs. You think you can do that?”

The black skeleton wasn’t sure in his strength, but agreed to try:

“Alright.”

Dream arrived after half an hour. And he with Ink both started to slowly lift Error up, first trying to sit him up. But he was immediately hit with nausea and a break had to be made. And continue half an hour later.

Finally, Error got up hesitantly. His legs shook with reluctance. But he stubbornly continued to stand and even made three steps away from the bed. Then back. He slowly sat down.

Instead of words of gratitude, he threw a dozen of scarves and puppets at the guardians which he made out of boredom. Then turned and faced the wall, like an embarrassed young woman.

Chuckling, the two left the room to let Error be happy without others’ stares.

After a couple of days, Error stood up without assistance and, for the first time, could get a look at Ink’s house. Almost exactly as he expected. The house of the original skeleton brothers but with nuisances. Ink didn't have a brother. Instead of Papyrus’s room — an art room. Smell of paint and other art supplies lingered around it.

Error just opened the door to it, breathed in and ran away to familiarize himself with the toilet. Funnily, but in the small tiled room stood an earthenware companion. Why was it there? Skeletons didn't get calls of nature. Instead, it was easy to empty your stomach above it.

The guest room, where Error was staying, was the last room on the first floor. Two paces away from the bathroom. Throwing a glance on “his” door, the black skeleton couldn’t resist from handiwork, and the door was entwined with blue strings. Let it be clear who lived there. Ink’s room was the one after the next one, and he was in there, so Error didn't go in.

The ground floor was more similar to the original skeleton brothers’ house and consisted of only two rooms: the kitchen and living room. Both spacious and cozy.

Error noticed lots of small additions which he would consider useless and unnecessary, but they gave comfort and warmth to the space. For example, this vase with flowers. Well, why was it here? To fill in the empty space? Why did it need to fill it in at all?

The destroyer had lived in emptiness for too long to understand such things. But he felt that this vase belonged here. Plus, the flowers smelled nice, and he didn’t get the urge to run to the bathroom from their smell.

On the couch, a checkered plaid blanket that looked soft even to the eyes. On the walls, paintings of landscapes. In the kitchen, the chairs’ backs were carved. Anyone could see that the owner of the house was attentive to details and could express himself through them.

“Do you want to eat something?” there he was, going down the stairs and immediately went into the kitchen.

“Dunno, can’t decide.”

Error thoughtlessly stared in the direction of the front door. He suddenly felt uncomfortable to be alone with Ink when he didn’t have enough magic for self-defence. But Ink wasn't Nightmare, he won't harm him, right?

“Error?” Ink noticed the destroyer’s odd behaviour and became concerned.

“What?” the other flinched and, at last, moved his eyes away from the door.

“If you don't want to eat, sit at the table, please, I need to talk with you.”

“Couldn't you've done that before? I was lying in bed then and was bored and couldn't have run away from a lecture!” Grumbling, the black skeleton sat on a free chair, further away from the guardian.

“You were under sedatives and other medicine, and would have perceived the information inadequately,” explained Ink. “We didn’t even want to tell you about your pregnancy but you started coming around and could feel everything for yourself. And even freak out and do something stupid.”

“Get to the point, asshole.” Error didn't want to dig any deeper in the topic of his physical being, he wanted to get down to business, then retreat back into his corner.

“All right,” Ink put his arms on the table and said, “We staged your and Dust’s deaths. Nightmare now thinks that you’re both dead,” Error couldn't hold back a smirk, and Ink continued, “Obviously, neither you, nor Dust must be seen by any travelers, and will have to stay in worlds that are closed off or protected. There aren't a lot of those. Out of the closed ones — mine, Dream’s and Omega’s. But you're forbidden to enter Omega’s for reasons I think you know,” in reply, Ink heard a series of mumbling about “damned abominations”. “There is a larger pick of protected worlds, though. One of the Fell universes, Underswap, Chocotale and about ten others. But I should earnestly ask you not to wander around the worlds alone.”

“Why’s that?” Error didn't like the idea of being like a house dog, which is taken out for walks on a leash.

“Because your reputation can kill you,” said the guardian coldly. “Think about it, Error, you’re weakened by injuries and pregnancy. Even in those pacifist worlds are those who remember how you killed and tortured. And they will want to use your condition as an opportunity. Then the whole plan will fail. But I believe in your understanding and for now I am only ASKING you not to leave the house without supervision and wander around the worlds alone.”

“And what if I don't agree?” The black skeleton knew his position, and that he wouldn't be able to get away from the powerful monsters from those worlds but couldn’t not prod it further.

Ink’s gaze changed. In his eyes appeared a skull and a target, while his expression looked like when he drank the red paint. Then even they left his eyes and his face darkened, which only happened once before when the guardian completely lost it and drank from the black vial. A grin stretched itself on his face, much like Nightmare’s.

Who was it before him? Ink? No! He was still in the basement. It was Nightmare before him!

Error suddenly began to shiver. He felt a deathly cold in his bones and put his arms around himself in an attempt to warm up. But he continued to shake even harder. The only thing that didn't let him get lost in those horrible sensations was a voice, which broke through the darkness with difficulty.

“Error? Stars! Quiet, quiet. I didn't want to frighten you. Just to make sure you knew what would happen as a consequence of actions that aren’t thought through. Error! Damned phone. Quickly! Dream! Come here now!”

Dream ran through the portal wearing what he had on, and good thing he had something on at all. If his friend was shouting in a mad voice, then something really out of the normal happened and it wasn't worth it to get himself in check properly.

He saw Ink sitting on the floor, holding Error in his arms. The black skeleton was hit by a fit of spasming. His gaze was empty, his emotions — terror that wasn't masked by anything.

“What happened?”

“I think I scared him!”

“How?”

“I don’t know. I just wanted to warn him what would happen if he was being an impulsive idiot he will find himself in another mess. Then this happened!”

“Oh, well done you! Absolutely well done!” Dream gave his friend a powerful hit to the skull and put Error into a saving sleep. The twitching stopped, and the body finally relaxed.

First, the two pulled up his shirt to make sure the child was alright. The clot pulsated restlessly, the child inside was fidgeting. Then the guardians laid Error down on the couch and poured some sedative down his throat. Only then they started to wake him up.

“How are you?”

Error didn't say anything. He looked at Ink and frowned, saw Dream only wearing trousers and turned away. Even pressed himself into the back of the couch, trying to get further away from the guardians.

Ink looked at Dream at a loss and asked him:

“It’s not the first time that’s happened either. Maybe it would be better if Error lived with you?”

Dream shuddered and tried to weasel out of it:

“I don't think Error would agree. Besides, he’s fine here with you. And…”

“Dream? What’s the matter? I know that you don't love him or anything, but I don't want to think that you’re over-callous.”

Dream threw a bewildered look at the destroyer and knew that he was listening intently. He didn’t want to talk while in the same room as him, and pulled Ink into the kitchen. Once there, he spoke of his concerns:

“No, I have nothing against Error. But his child…!” Dream wiped a hand over his sweaty skull. “He’s pressuring on me. And not only with his existence. I can feel the growth of a new nightmare.”

“But that’s good news, then,” the artist said happily. “Our plan can be brought to life. If the child is really a nightmare, then we can really save Dreamtale!”

“Yes, yes, you're right,” there was no happiness in Dream’s voice. “But you don't understand how hard it is for me to be near him. It’s like your emptiness. As if all positivity vanishes. Do you feel anything of the sort?”

“No,” Ink looked out of the kitchen to make sure Error didn't leave, “and neither does Error...maybe. Alright, I get it. But if Error is going to be uncomfortable around me, we will need to find another home for him. He can’t be left without supervision.”

“And care,” Dream sighed. “All right, you stay here for a minute. I’ll talk with him. Though he probably wouldn’t want to talk with me.”

“He probably could start going to Dust’s doctor as well,” Ink offered with a sad smile, knowing that they won’t ever make Error go to any therapist. “It’s helping Dust. They changed the medicine for him recently and Blue said he even started to go into contact with other monsters, and hasn’t killed anyone either.”

Dream left Ink calming himself in the kitchen with tea, while he went to the couch and sat by it on his knees. Despite his expectations, Error spoke first:

“Why do you barely have anything on?”

“And do you always sleep in your clothes?”

“What do you want?”

“To talk. Or, rather, ask. Twice you've had a panic attack while you were with Ink. First time when he touched, where he shouldn't have, the second now. Tell me, is he so unpleasant for you, or are you really scared of him?”

Error didn't answer straight away. And would’ve preferred not to answer at all.

“He isn’t unpleasant. Because all alternatives and their universes are unpleasant for me! And I’m not scared of him!”

“But you're scared of Nightmare.”

“I’m not scared of him!!!” the black skeleton didn't change the record.

“Alright, I’m not poking at your pride here. You're scared that he’ll rape you again.”

Dream decided not to spare Error and spoke straight to the point. And from that, Error felt how shivers ran up his back and carried memories with them.

The rattle of chains, the half-darkness, the smell of dust, the searing pain on the inside and the content moans from the torturer.

He started to shiver again. But this time he managed to control himself, simply tucked himself into a ball and turned away again. Dream thought that that was the end of their dialogue, but then Error said:

“Ink doesn’t look like Nightmare. But sometimes I see him in his place. Just for an instant. I don't know why.”

Dream turned away embarrassedly. It was true, his brother and Ink were somewhat similar. Both were unprincipled maniacs that invested in mad ideas until completion. Only they had different methods.

“If you have trouble living with him, you can stay with me.”

“Everything’s fine. I will get on somehow. It’s not that long till birth left anyway.”

“Five months, actually.”

“I don't care. I will give birth, you take the child, then I will go somewhere far away for a couple of years. Or for how much you will need to lift Dreamtale off its knees. Anyway, when I’ll be far away from ALL of you, I will feel better.”

Dream grunted and added with a smile:

“You almost admitted that the only one who you are prepared to put up with is Ink. Well, I think he’ll be happy to know that. Alright, get some rest. And I’m asking you, don’t poke yourself outside. You know, if my brother gets the news that you’re alive…”

Dream didn't have to continue. Error imagined what the outcome of that would be and was sitting like a statue again. He didn't even want to think about any walks for the next month.

“And you still call me harsh after this,” said Ink, escorting his friend into the portal.


	7. A Nightmare

Not wanting to get another fit of fear, Ink didn’t want to intervene with the guest of the house. And it wasn't like Error didn't enjoy that, but he felt abandoned. Before, that paint-drunken bastard always lingered near him, but now was afraid to be in the same room as him. Error would leave his corner, Ink would either go into his, or to a different room.

It was lonely and boring.

After that “talk”, Error forgot to think about going to the other universes. Instead, tried to entertain himself by exploring Ink’s house. He even found a basement. From there, he ran nearly screaming, though there were no chains, no cells for prisoners, no dust especially. But the half-dark space, filled with easels, paintings and other artistic garbage, forced Error’s imagination to, again, work against its master’s will and show a few images from the past.

Error slept with the lights on, like a kid who’s scared of the monster under the bed. But there was no monster under the bed. There were dreams encased in bubbles from Dream. The monster was lying on the bed and was in need of reassurance, which he didn’t get, as he continued to evade it.

Unfortunately, you can’t run away from the past. It will chase you down and gobble you up. Error knew this. He had already experimented. And, no matter how many times he tried to brush off what has happened with the words “I’m strong, I will survive, everything is okay”, he couldn't forget and accept it.

Nightmares began to torment Error. Every night they became more frightful and frightful.

Ink would wake up from the screams in the next room and heard quiet crying afterwards. And he would have got up, would have reassured, would have pressed the other to himself and promised that everything was going to be okay. But he remembered about the black skeleton’s haphephobia and his seizures of terror. So he didn't move from his place. As if with his own eyes, he saw how Error calms down, takes one of Dream’s dreams and goes to bed again.

But one night, Error couldn't wake up.

Ink heard screams. Terrible, heart-rending, full of pain. And he immediately ran to help. Burst in and saw how Error kicked off the duvet and the fitted sheet off the bed, the pillows were in a corner, and he still continued the attempts to fight off the nightmares.

The black skeleton opened his eyes. A dark room was before him. Too dark, he couldn’t pick anything out. Did someone turn the lamp off, or did the bulb burn out? Error thought to reach for the switch, but couldn’t because of shackles on his hands.

He was hanging in Nightmare’s castle.

“Is this a dream?”

Of course it was, Dust saved him. And now he was safe, in Ink’s home.

What if not? What if his rescue was a dream? What if he never left the basement?

“It’s a dream!”

Logical. Why did Dust need to save him, he was mad. Why would Ink help, it would be easier for him, if the destroyer was no more.

“It’s a lie!”

Of course it was a lie, his whole life was a lie. He was just a Sans gone crazy with hopelessness, to whom mad voices whispered mad things. He thought that, after all he had done, he could be happy? No! And it wasn’t only him who was going to be punished.

It tugged in the middle. It was the clot pulsating. And then it stops. Forever. Dust falls off the spine to his feet.

“No! It’s a dream!”

The door opens with a creak and Nightmare comes in. His dark silhouette looks like the night itself with tentacles. 

“A dream! A dream! A dream!”

They stretch towards him. They embrace him. Nightmare smiles.

“A dream! A dream! A dream! A dream! A dream! A dream! A dream! A dream! A dream! ААААААааааааааааааааааа!!!!!!!!”

Error opened his eyes sharply. His cheekbone was burning. A frightened Ink was almost sitting on him, hand raised for another slap, in his eyes — a barely distinguishable panic, cutting across the soullessness.

Ink thought that Error would attack him, hit him, yell at him, but never expected that the “prideling” would suddenly embrace him, press himself to the other and burst into tears.

“Quiet, quiet. It was only a dream. I’m here, I’m with you. Shhh! Everything’s okay,” he hugged him and rocked him, like one would rock a child to sleep. Speaking of which…

Error suddenly fidgeted and started to feel his spine with his hands. He found the clot and sighed in relief. And Ink couldn't hold back a weak smile. He continued to stroke and rock and whisper, and soon rocked the formidable destroyer to sleep. The other fell asleep in his arms, rendered powerless by the nightmares.

That night, Ink wasn’t going to go back to his room. 

“I think I should be your personal scarecrow for bad dreams. I hope that, if I can scare you, I will be terrifying to them.”

That night, nightmares didn't trouble Error anymore. The nightmare happened when he woke up, and realised that someone, besides him, was in his bed.

The black skeleton never woke up with anyone in the same bed. Never! And he didn’t understand immediately that whatever was pressed to him was a living monster and not bunched-up duvet.

One of the white skeleton’s legs was thrown over him, an arm too, the short vest was hitched up, exposing the spine and part of the ribs. The face was close, much too close. The mouth was slightly open.

Error rebooted. And again. Then, right before the third one, he recognized the guest in his bed.

“Ink?!” Error nearly fell off the bed in the rush to pull himself out of the stranger’s embrace. He jumped up and ran to the middle of the room. “What are you doing here?!”

In reply, Ink yawned and tried to bury himself deeper in the duvet. For such cheek, he almost got a blaster his way. The guardian looked at the size of the threat and answered:

“Don't waste magic, you’ll feel worse again,” a yawn. “You had a nightmare. You were kicking around so much you nearly fell off the bed. And you were screaming like you were being cut up. And I,” from the new yawn, he nearly dislocated his jaw, “guarded you. Calmed you down. And things like that. Laid down near and fell asleep. What?”

“Nothing, you soulless bastard!” hissed the destroyer angrily, putting away the blaster.

“Why a “bastard” already?” a sleepy Ink didn't understand. He didn't react to the other part of the phrase, for it wasn’t an insult, but the stating of a fact.

Error didn't answer. He wiped his face with his palm, as if rubbing off the tension, then hurried to get dressed. Standing before his former enemy only in his underclothes seemed inappropriate. But what was it to the other: Ink got up, stretched, demonstrated his short pants and a vest that was hitched to one side. He stopped to think of something and directed his eyelights at the clot that had grown, which Error didn't hide quickly enough under the usual scarlet T-shirt.

“Can I touch it?” the guardian asked with hidden hope.

“Get your own — and touch all you want,” Error even jerked. He didn’t want to feel any excess touching on himself or even his bastard while he was a part of his body. Not to mention it would be Ink touching him. Who knows what he did with his body while Error slept.

The imagined picture of lewd imagery broke and fell to pieces from what the destroyer heard from Ink next:

“I can’t,” sadness cut through the emotionlessness.

“Well, fuck someone else then, so they get it, then you can touch…”

“I’m sterile in both cases,” Ink said with deathly honesty. “I cannot carry someone else’s, because I have no soul. And I can’t give someone a child, because my magic can’t mix with another. I’m too fake for something so real.”

Ink couldn’t hold back his emotions. They all emptied out, and he didn’t have time to fill them back up. Which made his voice sound dry. But Error knew the rainbow asshole for a long time, and knew how the other was taking it. It turned out that, the one who destroys, can grow a new life inside himself while he, who creates, isn’t physically able to do so. He didn’t need to experiment. Which was either a blessing or a punishment.

“Alright, but quickly.”

Error regretted giving permission in the next second, but he didn’t step away. He just stood with a naked torso and watched how Ink got down on the knees before him. A position for a confession, for forgiveness and for prayers. But the guardian had already confessed, he didn’t need forgiveness and he didn't pray for anything. He just wanted to be closer to the new life and look over all of its splendor through black gelatinous exterior.

Touching across the clot felt different. Not as sharp. Which is why Error could take it.

Ink touched with the tips of his fingers. Felt the movement and his eyelights shivered, as if trying to change shape uncaring of the emptiness of emotions. A tiny warm lump of bones. Ink moved closer and peered at the growing child through the membrane. Moved closer even more and almost pressed himself to it, wanting to hear the barely audible soulbeat. He carefully stroked the living clot.

“So little. So helpless. Right now, all of him fully depends on you. And even when he will be born, he still will be relying on you. And even if you don't want to have anything to do with him at all, he will always be a part of you. A new life. A new dweller of the Void. Just like you and me.”

Error endured the torture of touching until the end. He was uncomfortable, but the guardian’s care and his words embarrassed him. And they made him think.

Error continued to stand in the same place, even when Ink got up and went to make breakfast.


	8. Blue

That day, Blue stayed with Error. And Ink and Dream went away to patrol and save universes.

“What do you want to do?” asked the ball of positivity.

“Whatever you want, but without me!” Error growled and thought to go to his room, but the small misunderstanding in the blue scarf blocked his way.

“That’s not interesting! I can make some tacos, maybe?”

Error flinched:

“Do you want to poison me?” He remembered well, what happened before, when he tried the culinary creation of this kid unawares.

“People learn from mistakes,” said Blue, and got to learn lots of new and obscene expressions. Chuckling, he made a new offer. “Maybe you want to play? Ink’s game console is over there.”

Error looked at the television with doubt, under which sat a box with the console. He’d rather sit alone and watch Undernovela. But he knew that the short skeleton won’t leave him alone, so he had to cave in and be placid for a bit.

“So what do you want to play then?”

Error expected it to be pink bear cubs picking flowers, but Blue put on a fighting game. And such a bloody one, that Error’s bones started to tense, when his character’s own were being broken on the screen. Judging by how frequently that happened, Blue played this game often.

After the tenth defeat, Error dug around in the game box, to try to find the bear cubs and flowers, and learned that the guardians of the multiverse play anything but peaceful games. He looked at the disc labelled “Become the lord of evil” like it held the answer to the meaning of life.

“You know, I won’t be surprised if I find porn movies here.”

“Then you need to look on that shelf there.” Blue pointed at a cabinet, laughing.

The image of peace began to fall apart. The destroyer thought that all this time he was fighting a fairly naive tandem of idiots. It turned out that Blue wasn’t so naive, Dream could act harshly and Ink — be frankly terrifying.

“Stars, the more I learn about you, the more shocked I get.”

“Don’t tell me,” Blue laughed. “You thought we watched cartoons about ponies and lived in a house made of cotton candy? Imagine it, but we don’t.”

“I noticed,” Error leaned on the back of the couch and grudgingly admitted his own foolishness. “By the way, how’s Dust?”

“Ask him yourself.” said Blue, not looking at the other. He was digging in the game box.

“He always runs away from me.”

“Oh! Okay, sorry. He still can’t get enough courage to see you. Don’t know why. Sometimes it’s hard for me to understand him.”

“Hah! How can someone, like you, understand someone like him?” Error smirked and was surprised to see how the young skeleton tensed. Blue put the box of games to the side.

“Do you remember how you kidnapped me?” he said suddenly.

“Of course,” Error grinned.

“You do know that, before I was in your Anti-Void, I was a hostage to misunderstanding and ignorance? I didn't remember the resets. And when I came back home and when the world reset, I was confused. But I continued to act like before. As if nothing was happening. And then…a human killed me,” Blue turned around and Error saw that the other was pale like death. His voice shook. “I saw my body. My head fell beside it. My body stood beheaded, and from blood spurted from the stump. There was so much of it. The snow became red. I saw it. And how the human smiled, looking at my terror, my death. Then it became dark,” Blue needed all of his willpower to stay conscious. Remembering his first death pressed on him like a hundred-tonne slab. “Pitch darkness. Where there is nothing and no-one. Just your own voice. You cry out, call for help. But nobody comes. Nobody saves you,” Blue swallowed a bitter lump in his throat. “And then I awoke. Like before. On the same day. Wow,” he smacked his forehead, his voice continued to shake more. “It was a dream, I thought. And tried to continue living like before. Then the human appeared again. I...I was frightened...but this time they were kind. And we went to the surface. A new life began. And I was happy. Then I woke up in my bed again and...thought that it was all a dream too. Papyrus started noticing that something was wrong with me, but didn’t do anything about it at first. And I was going mad. And if Ink and Dream didn't come into my life, if I didn't become another guardian, I wouldn't have been able to dismiss the wild and terrifying thoughts,” madness, well known to Error appeared on Blue’s face. Error saw that expression when he looked at Dust or himself. “What if I can stop all of that? What if I killed everyone? I would stop their suffering. All those endless resets.”

Error shivered. Goosebumps ran up his back. His palms got sweaty.

“Blue? But you didn’t do anything like that, right?”

“No,” the mad grin was replaced by sadness. “But I thought I could! Once I took a knife,” he looked at his shaking hands, as if they were dirty with blood. “It happened after another genocide. I held the knife in my hands, and, when Papyrus came in, I...I as if saw how the knife enters his chest, how his soul shatters. But I didn’t move,” tears flowed down Blue’s face. “I could have killed him,” he tried to wipe them off, but just smeared them around. “I thought about it. And was ready to do it. I almost tasted his dust on my teeth. I stood there, holding the knife, and, if Papy didn’t rip it out of my hands, if he didn’t understand that there was something wrong with me. If he didn’t help me then. If he didn’t understand that I started remembering resets. If he...I would’ve...I would’ve been the same as Dust.” 

Blue was crying, loudly and in desperation. Error listened and didn’t know what he was supposed to do. Calm him down? But how?

“Listen,” he began slowly. “You managed to resist it then. You didn't act by the author’s will — or whoever was controlling your world. You fell out of the story and now you choose your own fate. Well done! You did everything right though. And now I understand your feelings for Dust. You are helping yourself and a different yourself who wasn't as strong and didn't make the right choice. Blue, you really are an extraordinary Sans. And I feel proud to know that I have an alternative like you. Heh! I think I made the right choice when I didn't erase your world and returned you home. You’re not such a bad mistake after all.”

Blue wasn't crying anymore. He looked at Error with burning stars in his eyes and, when he finished speaking, threw himself onto the other with hugs.

“Thank you, Error!”

“...yea...it’s...let me go! Kid, I have…”

“Sorry, I know,” Blue let go and moved away. “I’m just happy that you said that and you didn’t judge me. Thank you, Error.”

“Don't mention it,” Error said perplexedly and tried to change the subject. “Which games did you say you have again?”

“Ooh! Do you want to be a god?” Blue demonstrated the disc. “In this game you can choose who you want to be: good or evil. And build a civilization of your admirers based on your own taste.”

Dream and Ink patrolled the universes. Or rather, fluently peeked into each one to make sure nothing out of place was happening.

Surprisingly, they haven’t seen Nightmare for a while. As if he went on a hunger-strike. Nothing had been heard about him for so long, that Dream thought to visit his castle. But a friendly hit on the skull stopped him taking such a desperate step.

“But, maybe, he’s ill or became reasonable?”

“Yeah, right,” Ink didn't believe in such possibilities.

Error needed a fairly harsh indication in order for him to stop his destroying games. And it wasn't a fact that he will come back to them. They had a plan no less harsh for Nightmare. And until it is complete, it was unlikely that the octopus’s brain would suddenly clean itself from hate, and he would be normal again.

“Just remember him,” the guardian of alternative universes tensed. In the most unfortunate world out of Felltale, they felt Nightmare’s aura.

Perhaps, this world needed Error, and the guardians, though without speaking, admitted it. Even Horrortale had a chance for a happy ending, but this world had no chances at all. Nightmare didn't even have to exert himself to feed here. Just need to come in, sit down, take some popcorn and enjoy the view of the desperate monsters, who created a genocide of their own race.

That’s about what Nightmare did. With the difference being the lack of the popcorn and no interest shown to what was happening. He seemed detached and sick. Which could have been true, for he was being held up under both arms. That became clear when the guardians moved closer.

Dream covered his mouth with his hands, he already saw his brother in the same condition before the other ate the black apples. Detached, morally broken, immensely sad.

The snow, thickly covered with dust, treacherously creaked under their feet.

Killer was the first to notice the two Stars and, instead of going into battle, he heaved the non-resisting Nightmare onto himself and pulled him into a portal. Horror backed up the retreat, as if expecting the guardians to pursue them.

But the others didn't want to play chasing games. They were too surprised by what they just witnessed.

“What was that?” Ink licked some green paint.

“Guilt?” suggested Dream, who wasn't less surprised.

“Do you think it’s because of Dust?”

“Not because of Dust, that’s for sure,” the keeper of dreams was lost in thought. He remembered everything that the dusty one had told him, and made a conclusion that shocked him: “Probably, because of Error. You know,” Dream felt awkward, “maybe, my brother loved him. In a perverse way.” 

“What a sick bastard,” Ink even grabbed his head. “How can you love anyone like that? Torturing, holding captive and slowly killing without light, water and warmth? No wonder he wanted to get commitment out of Error that bad.”

“Like you.”

“What, sorry?”

“You, too, want him. Or am I not right?” Dream folded his arms on his chest and looked at his friend with a firm gaze of a skeleton confident in his conclusions. “The only difference being that you chose and choose other methods.”

“What are you on about, Dream?!” in the artist’s eyes — a spiral and a cross.

“You said: “Torturing, holding captive and slowly killing without light, water and warmth”, right? You, too, are holding him captive. He’s bored, surrounded by four walls. You don't torture him, but you pressure him and force him to make decisions that are easier for you. And okay, he has plenty of light, water and warmth. So you’re not like my brother who’s gone mad from feelings.”

Ink became embarrassed:

“Maybe you’re right. And I do pressure him too much. But he survived some serious shit and still behaves inadequately. That’s why I’m scared to take him anywhere. Though…those are all excuses. I will attempt to take him for a walk somewhere tomorrow. But do you seriously think that Night loves Error? That...well...somehow...doesn’t tie together, or something.”

Dream thought about it and after a minute, when they left the world that was ruined with genocide, he said:

“I think, yes. For Nightmare, any warm feeling is pain. It could be that he didn't understand what he felt, and confused that feeling with hate. All his emotions are opposites in his current state. He sees love as hate, friendship as obedience, care as sadism,” Dream sighed. “Oh, Nighty. I miss him so much. And it’s hard for me to realise that, even when we return him to his former form, he...won’t be as he was…” it became hard for Dream to speak. He stopped walking, stood in front of his friend and grabbed the other’s elbows with his shaking hands. “Ink, I’m scared that my brother will break under the weight of ALL of this. First our universe. He turned me into a stone statue for a thousand years. Then all of those poisoned worlds. Finally, Error with his child...Ink, I’m terrified!”

Dream was almost crying. He knew that his brother may not survive all of the things he listed. His brother, whom he remembered and wished to return.

“Everything is going to be okay,” Ink hugged his friend and pressed him to himself. “You've slept for too long, my friend. Your brother is, by far, not a stupid skeleton, who needs reassurance. And he is obliged to take and carry the weight of his guilt. And we will help him. You will help him. So believe this: everything is going to be okay.”

Dream wanted to believe it. But, after seeing today how broken his brother was, he started to have doubts in Ink’s plan. And started to shy away from Error more, in whose belly hid the child that was a danger to Nightmare.

When Dream and Ink returned, they discovered an idealistic image of skeletons sleeping on the couch. In Error’s hands still sat the controller. And his “civilization” on the screen herded pink ponies on flowery meadows and built castles out of gingerbread.


	9. Worries

Error didn't like a lot of things. For instance, he didn't like the nightmares and another thing he didn't like was his “treatment” against the worst ones. A scarecrow! His personal scarecrow with an inky blotch on the cheek. Already thrice he has woken up with him in an embrace and started to see it as something mundane. Which was something he, again, disliked. And Error loudly complained about it. But at night, if the nightmare was unbearable, and Ink wasn’t there, he went to him by himself. Made a cocoon out of the artist by wrapping him in his duvet and hugged him. Though he still woke up without the duvet and still in an embrace.

After a week of waking up like that, it became tiring to get mad about it. So, seeing the sleeping guardian’s content face before himself, Error just shoved him off the bed with his leg and demanded breakfast in bed.

And, dammit, did he get it!

Error also didn't like his own dumb new habit. He would always put his hands on the clot. When he was thinking, when he was lying down, when he was sitting, even when he was sleeping. And how it annoyed him! It felt like he was advertising his current state. But he didn't have time to get angry, feeling how the child’s body pulsates under his palms, and chased away the negativity.

He even started to feel like he was happy. Though, of course, that couldn’t have been right. He’s had some really fierce crap happen to him, and he lives with his recent enemies under the same roof forcedly. And inside him grows a bastard from an even worse enemy. How could he be happy in such a setting?

But Ink would put a plaid blanket over him, give him a cup of cocoa and turn on some silly channel, and suddenly everything became better. As if Dream dawned positivity on him, and Error no longer thought of the clot on his spine as Nightmare’s bastard. The child now felt like it was his. The past was blocked by the present. And the surrounding warmth filled his tired soul with bliss.

He didn't want to think that this will all end when the child would be born. It was all too good for him now. And he admitted it.

Blue came over often. He had friendly relations with Error and even some trust ones. He occasionally brought Dust with him. And Error didn’t recognize him at first. When he did, didn't believe it.

“You look...healthy.”

“And I hope you will get well too.”

The former team members grinned and spent the evening playing video games. Dust showed the wonders of tactfulness, and didn’t mention the topics which may upset the black skeleton. He didn't speak of Nightmare, nor of their former comrades, nor of their former life at all. But he really wanted to ask of the child. And, after some wavering, he finally did.

“Alive and well! See for yourself,” Error pulled up his shirt and showed him. “You already saw him before.”

“I did,” Dust was taken aback. He didn't know what surprised him more: the lack of negativity from Error or his happy tone. While he was allowed to, he moved closer, “but he was so little then. Wow, he’s grown so much!”

“He’s growing, the parasite!” the destroyer didn't succeed in feigning anger, it was spoiled by the fully peaceful smile.

The child was well seen through the gelatinous wall and was illuminated by a dim soul between the thin ribs. It pulsated weakly, counting down the final months till birth.

But Dream was frankly steering clear of Error. He completely stopped visiting Ink, didn't ask about the child and occasionally behaved like there was no plan to save Dreamtale at all and didn't expect the birth of a nephew.

That was concerning. But Ink didn't pressure his friend and promised that he will soon settle down.

“Yeah, like it was with Nightmare,” snorted Error, which earned him a surprised look from Ink. He didn't think he was ready to talk about his torturer. “Dream, too, realized what an idiot he was, when his brother got drunk on the apples and started looking like seafood. You think that he learned something from that time? Bullshit!”

“He’s just really afraid, Error. He’s afraid that his brother won’t be able to take the weight of his guilt. Nightmare started a genocide, destroyed the tree, encased his brother in a rocky prison. All of this will hit on him when he will be back in his normal state. He will understand that he inflicted a sea of pain to someone he loved, and forcefully gave him a child…” Ink closed his mouth. He was not supposed to say that. But he did.

Error tensed. It seemed like he turned into a loaded gun of a neurotic, ready to pull the trigger and send a bullet to his head.

“Ink!”

“Yes?” Ink prepared his panic in liquid form, ready to start being nervous and fight in hysteria.

Error’s eyelights disappeared, and he slowly said:

“I don't want to know. And I don't know it. I didn't hear anything.”

“And I didn't say anything. Curses!” Ink damned his big mouth and watched with worry, as Error’s face changed expression. Thought how to distract him from it. He put away the panic and pulled himself together. “Let's go for a walk! Chocotale is waiting for you!”

And he pulled the confused Error into a portal, in hope that the other will eat so much chocolate that he’ll lose his memory.

Dream wasn't in any hurry to settle down. He walked around gloomy as if it was him who fed off the negativity and not his brother. And during one of their patrols, Ink couldn't take it anymore:

“What’s wrong?!”

“What do you mean?” Dream made the attempt to play dumb.

“I mean your behaviour and your attitude,” the artist folded his arms and looked at his friend with the gaze of a creature free from emotions. “Dream, don’t try to wriggle out of it. I know that you're worried about your brother and I know that the birth of the child won’t make you happy. But in the last month you haven’t just been discontent, you’ve literally been dashing away from Error and my house. Why?”

“Because!” the keeper of dreams started shouting. “I’m scared that my fear will overcome my sense of reason, and I will do something stupid!” Tears appeared in the corners of his eye sockets. “I constantly think that, if that child didn't exist, then there would be no threat to my brother! I keep thinking that I won’t be able to help him when he returns to his normal state! I keep thinking that, what we are doing right now, will kill Nightmare! I keep thinking that it’s not too late to stop doing this! That if there is no child, we will have to come up with a different plan, and it would be better than this one!” Dream covered his face with his hands. “And I hate myself for those thoughts!...I said all of this for nothing. Now you will hate me.”

Ink hugged his friend and stroked his back. Gave the other some time to calm down and then said:

“You know, I always wanted to help your world even when we first met. And for a long time, I couldn't find a way to do that. I already had the idea of Nightmare’s child. I pestered Sci to try to grow an artificial offspring. But nothing worked. And then I thought that one day he’ll lose his head because of someone and that someone will become pregnant. But I understood that the chance of such happening was very small. And if I wasn't sterile, I would’ve carried his offspring,” he shocked his friend. Dream even stopped crying. “Of course, for such a feat I would’ve needed a lot of pink paint. But I would’ve done it. And,” he dropped his gaze, “it’s a shame that Error was the one who made your brother lose his head. You already know that I always wanted to help that black skeleton. And I didn't want him to be in pain. But then he appeared with us, injured and with a child. At first, I didn't think about helping your world, and not even helping him, but about the fact that I had the chance to become closer to him,” Ink smiled sadly. “Look at what a bastard I am. That’s why, Dream, everything is okay. We aren't perfect. We are alive and we feel. Sometimes we imagine terrible things and we think of them. But, Dream, our THOUGHTS don’t make us who we are, but our actions. So I ask you to pull yourself together. We have no other plan. We have looked for many years. So, Dream, get it together! We will save Dreamtale, and your brother.”

“I’m sorry, Ink. You're right, I was too scared of the passing chance and closed myself off. I will try to be better.”

“You promise?”

“I promise.” Dream hugged his friend again and afterwards heard his modest request:

“And I ask you not to hate Error, and his child. Imagine if I was in Error’s place, would you hate me and my child too?”

The keeper of dreams was lost in thought. He compared the role of a victim to Nightmare and a father to his nephew to Ink and realized that, no, he couldn’t hate Ink. And neither did he hate Error, really. And the child. He just didn't want to accept what happened and agree with it.

“No. I wouldn’t have. After all, the child isn’t to blame for its fate.”

“That’s good,” Ink stepped away, and a bright smile lit up his face. “That’s why I want to adopt that child.”

“What???” Dream nearly fell down where he stood. He was struck that much by his friend’s statement.

“What surprises you?”

“Nothing. But Ink. Are you sure?”

“Yes. What concerns you?”

The keeper of dreams opened then closed his mouth. A lot of things concerned him. His friend’s lack of soul, not knowing how to interact with children, not having enough time and memory and lots of other small things. But he couldn't put them together in a pile to form one question: why? As in, he didn't know that Ink wanted to be a parent before. They never spoke about it. That means it’s a spontaneous wish and appeared for the embodiment of some purpose of a soulless creature. And Dream thought he knew the name of this purpose:

“Error?”

“I hope that he doesn't leave after birth. I want him to become a part of my life. Not for a while, but forever. And I hope that he’ll accept his child. Probably already has. And he will accept me. You know how I regard him.”

Dream said nothing to this. Just sighed sadly. That’s what, but he couldn't understand nor cure his friend’s strange obsession with the destroyer.

After that conversation, the relations between the guardians were warm again, and Dream started visiting Ink’s house again. Though he talked with Error unwillingly, and the other avoided him anyway.


	10. Soulbeat

Living with someone. You get used to it. You get used to the company and to the moments (happy or not) that it carries. Like, for example, waking up in an embrace and to breakfast in bed.

Ink’s touch had long since stopped Error becoming tense. But he didn’t tell him about it, wishing to keep some kind of distance between him. He shook from the thought that sooner or later he will have to increase that distance, or decrease it till the minimum. The destroyer wasn't ready for such fateful decisions. Nor was he ready to forget the injuring experience, which there was too much of on his life path. And the most recent one fitted in well with the sequence of crap that happened to him.

But what didn't fit in was Ink. His cuddles in the morning, cocoa in bed and the attempts to become closer. The unobtrusive showings of care of a flowery-sweet period.

Though, it was easier for Error to think that all the care was addressed to his child, the future saviour of Dreamtale, and not him. And sometimes he even felt a bit jealous. And then was shocked by himself and blushed.

But there were things that made him blush even more.

Sometimes Ink would forget that he doesn't live alone. And that led to awkward moments. For example, once Error saw how Ink left the bathroom. There was only one towel on the white skeleton and it covered not his hips, but his neck. Each bone could be well seen. Elegant, thin, covered with black tattoos, some carried barely noticeable scars — marks of victories and defeats.

Ink, it seemed, didn't notice Error. He walked near the other, causing him to sharply dash aside to the wall.

“Don't walk around the house naked!” squealed the embarrassed black skeleton.

“Huh?” the artist didn't understand at first and looked at the destroyer. In his eyes were plain white pinpricks. “Oh, sorry. I was thinking.”

The towel migrated from the shoulders to the hips.

“He was thinking, while my soul nearly jumped out of my chest!” 

“Wow!” Ink smiled and stopped. “Because of me? Am I really that hot?” He even winked.

He managed to dodge the row of bones: they all went into the wall and on the last one, like a white flag, hung the towel of the jester.

“Asshole!”

Sometimes, scary things happened.

Before, Error never thought where and how the guardian goes on after their fights, which often went very far, and the skeletons lost their arms and legs in those. And he wasn’t happy to find out.

On one of the days when he didn't want to go anywhere and walk for the two hours assigned by Ink, Error was lounging on the couch and was knitting something again. For change, not a puppet, but a child’s outfit. He couldn't explain why the knitted material turned into a suit for the yet unborn child.

So, when the black skeleton was looking at the finished piece and was thinking to decorate it with something, the front door flew open, and Ink, literally, fell into the house. Flat on his face. Stains of inky blood were left on the door.

He was hurt! And didn't look like he was able to help himself either. The black blood already soaked into the carpet, and slowly continued to move further.

“Holy shit! Ink! Where are you hurt?” the black skeleton jumped up and ran up to him.

“Everywhere,” admitted the guardian and tried to get up but he couldn’t. Error summoned his strings, weak or not, but they held the weight of the body. He moved Ink onto the couch and froze. He needed to undress him, but his hands were shaking.

“Hey, don't,” the guardian’s cold hand touched Error’s arms. Covered with inky blood. “Everything is fine. I will do it myself. I just need to rest for a while.”

The “rest” threatened to be eternal. His hand slid onto the floor. Ink lost his consciousness.

“Ink is going to die. Ink is going to die?!” Error thought.

Justifying himself, the black skeleton ripped off the clothes on the injured skeleton as fast as he could, and understood that the guardian wasn’t joking when he said he was hurt everywhere. He had no whole bones left. And Error recognized the wounds, he knew what inflicted them. In this Multiverse lived only one octopus able to use his tentacles to clobber, break and hit like this.

“Nightmare,” he growled dully. And, for an instant, he thought that Ink shared his terrible fate with him. But a look at the hips let him know that they were only broken. Ink wasn’t raped.

“I acted stupidly,” whispered the guardian of alternative universes. “I told him that I knew how he was suffering and,” Ink let out a dull laugh, “he completely lost it. If it weren't for the vial of red paint, I would’ve been closer to meeting the circle of reincarnation.”

“Quiet!” Error was tightly and carefully bandaging the injuries. He knew that there was healing paint somewhere, but he didn’t know what it looked like and where it was. So, when he was done bandaging and was sure that blood wasn’t flooding onto the furniture anymore, he opened a portal to Dreamtale and yelled:

“Dream! Here, now!”

With four hands, they brought the guardian into a more or less better state, pumped healing paint under the bandages and put him into his room to sleep. They went out into the hall.

“Thank you for not abandoning him,” Dream extended his arm wanting to show gratitude.

But Error didn't give his hand in return. His palms were lying on the clot, and in that moment, the black skeleton wasn’t thinking of the injured Ink, or even of the child. He was thinking about Dream. And those thoughts weren’t full of positivity, which were usually what the apple brother was meant to bring.

“I don't like you,” Error shared the outcome of his thoughts.

Dream dropped his arm and asked in bewilderment:

“Why?” in his world, everyone liked him. Even in the other worlds there was little who paid any negativity towards him. It’s hard to experience negative emotions towards someone who shares good dreams with you and inspires the belief in better.

Dream thought that it was because he looked like his brother. They were twins after all. But Error surprised him.

“You're too fake,” the black skeleton grimaced.

He was fake? That statement sent pain to his soul. No, Error was wrong. He was always honest with himself and everyone around him. Why does the destroyer count him as fake?

“Why do you think that I’m full of fakeness, Error? I never noticed anything like that about myself,” Dream worriedly shifted from one foot to the other in the wait for an answer. And the other didn't make himself wait.

“Because your territory — it’s fucking dreams. And there is nothing real in them. And someday the time to wake up will come.” 

The black skeleton thought to move further away from the other, who looked like he was dropped into a freezing ice-hole, when he heard a question in return that was given from the pain in the other’s soul.

“Tell me, Error,” in Dream, something flickered that Error usually saw in Nightmare. And that made the destroyer shudder. Dream decided to seek a little revenge. He asked: “What are you going to do once the child is born?”

“What do you mean?” Dream’s question stumped him. Error didn't want to think of the crushing possibilities of his future. He didn't want to make the decision now. And, what’s more, he wasn’t going to discuss his decision with Dream!

“You will give birth, give the child to us and…”

Error literally read it between the lines: you won’t be needed anymore. He turned away.

“None of your business, dreamer!”

Dream jerked. Error gave nicknames to everyone. He had Ink as “rainbow asshole”, Blue — “berry”, but he hasn’t mentioned the nickname of the keeper of dreams before this moment.

“Why a “dreamer”?”

No one answered him. The black skeleton already slammed the door to his room, giving the duty to care for Ink to Dream, who stood frowning by his friend’s door and couldn’t accept the truth of the fact. He really was a dreamer, not a realist. Always dreaming, but not acting on anything. That happened with his brother. He just believed that everything will get better, but did nothing to make sure. The same was happening now. He dreams of the better, fears the worse but, again, others are doing all his work. Error was going to give birth, Ink would bring up the child, and he...what was he going to do? Dream was once again hoping for the better. And was once again not doing anything for that better to happen.

Ink came around after a couple of hours. He decided not to wake up his sleeping friend and went down to the kitchen to grab a bite. He was surprised by the puddles of his own blood and found the knitted child outfit in one of them.

A smile found its way onto his face and, instead of the kitchen, he went to the bathroom to do some washing up.

In the morning, Error found his creation sitting on the bedside table. Clean and dry. And Ink — by his side. Who looked like a mummy from the number of bandages, but indecently pleased.

Error still couldn't name what was happening in his life. And didn't know what he was going to do after the birth of the child. He didn't know if he would be able to return to his usual business of a destroyer. He didn't know how he would be able to talk with the guardians after all of THIS.

It was warm and nice here, now, with Ink. It was nice to be friends with Blue and Dust. It was nice to wake up and know that he wasn’t alone. And, why not, it was nice to feel the child’s soul pulse inside himself. And he didn't want this to end.


	11. Relationship

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is (slightly) NSFW.

Ink quickly regenerated his bones and strength. The very next day he once again threw his giant paintbrush on his shoulder and left into unknown lands in the Multiverse. Of course, this time, under the supervision of his friends who fussed around him like chickens around a chick.

Dust stayed with Error. And the dusty one’s company was completely fine with the destroyer. Before they got along too, but now they could call each other friends. They could do whatever they wanted and non-metaphorically spit at the ceiling* (then wash it afterwards with a mop before the owner of the house noticed), could discuss anything they came up with, play video games, walk around the worlds and in general behave like normal skeletons who knew each other and had friendly relations.

And even though they had topics which they didn't touch upon, in the fear to hurt the other, sometimes curiosity got the better of them.

They sat in the living room, drank (Dust — beer, Error — cocoa) and talked about various things. And then Error asked:

“What’s it like living with Berry?” 

“Very nice. Though his brother is still looking funny at me, but we get on. Why?”

“I was just interested in what kind of relationship you have with him.”

“With Blue?” Dust was surprised by the question. However, Error wasn’t the only one who asked it. Dust and Blue did look odd together. “A good one.”

The evasive answer didn't satisfy Error, so he decided to ask directly:

“Are you two lovers?”

Dust choked on his beer and coughed.

“Stars! Where did you get those thoughts from???”

“I just sort of do,” Error said hesitantly. “It’s just when you two are together it’s as if you are huddling together. And I thought that you became overly close. But I never saw you kissing or somehow showing feelings to each other, and I wanted to make sure.”

Dust put out his eyelights for a moment and thought about it.

“I think I know what you're getting at,” he put the beer to the side and shook his head. “No, we aren’t lovers. At least, not more than Dream and Ink.”

The analogy distorted Error. Ink and Dream looked well together and spent lots of time together and sometimes they, indeed, did look like a couple. But Error knew that it wasn’t like that. At least he thought it wasn’t like that. But after Dust’s words, he was in doubt. And those doubts made him...upset? The thought that someone, besides him, can wake up in the same bed as Ink and nuzzle in his embrace planted seeds of jealousy in his mind.

Not wanting to think of such things, Error rushed to return to the starting topic:

“Okay, I don't understand,” he shook his head in an attempt to juggle the mysteries of the facts into the corners of his mind. “What do you mean?”

“We aren’t lovers. We are sooner very close friends. We get on very well because we understand each other. We have had a similar traumatic experience and we help each other to manage it. Or rather, he helps me to manage, while I am proof to him that you can even get out of shit like that. You’re right, we have become awfully close and that is our shared initiative. We sort of lick each other’s wounds or something. And we need each other. But it’s not forever. When our wounds heal, we will be able to move on and we won’t be so preoccupied with each other. And then we can let go and choose our own way.”

“Wow!” the destroyer was impressed and gave a poisonous grin. “Have you been learning for a while?”

He got a grin just as poisonous in reply:

“The therapist wanted me to.”

They clinked their cups.

A week has passed since that conversation, but Dream and Ink’s relationship continued to bother Error. He couldn't ask about it directly. He knew that one question will pull the next after it and everything will lead to a “Why do you ask?”. Which will lead him to digging for an answer and, again, to the damned choice which the destroyer wasn't ready for.

And then happened one embarrassing incident which allowed the points to take their place and answered the questions that bothered Error so much.

It was getting harder for Error to walk. Before, the weight of the child was almost unfelt, but during the last few months, the bastard had grown well and gained no less than a kilogram. And there were also unpleasant sensations, which felt like someone was squeezing the core of his spine really tightly. When that happened, he needed to lie down on the couch or his bed and relax. The spasming would let him go after a few minutes and he could continue doing what he was doing before.

A spasm hit Error on while he was on the staircase. And at first he thought to come back to his room, but then looking at how far he’s gone, he understood that there were less stairs going down and the way down was easier and there was the couch in the living room. So he hurried down.

In the living room, he walked in on something very awkward, but didn't understand it at first.

Ink was sleeping on the couch. And he was a fascinatingly arousing sight. His face was lit up with blush, his mouth slightly open, saliva drooling from the corner of the mouth, his breath was broken and his knees were barely noticeably rubbing against each other.

The dream was evidently not innocent.

Forth came a languid, wishful moan and Error, too, was flooded with blush. He felt his soul beating like mad against his ribcage and shone a bit brighter than normal. If he wasn't pregnant, the arousal would’ve completely pulled him under.

The languid breaths became more frequent, the body on the couch began to twist, the guardian arched his back, on his shorts appeared an eloquent wet patch…

And then Ink sharply opened his eyes.

Error barely had time to step into the shadows behind the curtains and pray to all known gods in all known universes that the sweaty guardian didn't notice him.

But Ink didn't care about accidental spectators of wet dreams. He was interested in the sender of those dreams.

He jumped up with his face askew, grabbed his paintbrush, opened a portal and, with a yell:

“Dream, I’m going to murder you!!!” he burst in.

Before the portal closed, Error heard the keeper’s laugh full of jest.

“What was that?” the black skeleton was perplexed. “Dream sends him erotic dreams? Maybe they do sleep together after all?”

Error was once again thinking of the guardians’ relationship. He knew that they were friends but he didn't know the boundaries of that friendship. Maybe they were closer than he thought?

The thoughts took such hold of Error that he didn't notice how the spasming went away and he didn't notice Ink’s return. The guardian returned looking more pleased than when he was running away. There was no trace of feigned anger left.

Error couldn't wait for answers anymore. He asked, as if speaking his thoughts:

“Are you and Dream lovers?” and only then he understood that he admitted everything at the same time.

Ink was surprised by the question. He realized that there was a witness to the recent performance, but he didn't want to reach for his embarrassment right now, so he simply returned to sitting on the couch and replied:

“Not unless in a dream.”

“And not in reality,” smirked the black skeleton, imagining Dream as impotent.

“We’re friends,” explained Ink, as if it answered all of the questions. But, seeing the confusion on the pregnant skeleton’s face, he explained: “We’re close friends, but we don't sleep together in reality.”

“But you sleep together in dreams?” His mind couldn't cope with processing such answers and Error started to glitch more.

“Yes, sometimes,” Ink said like it resolved everything, which completely broke the destroyer’s brain and he crashed.

The guardian had to wait till the end of the unpleasant process.

“I don't get it. Are you two friends by sex, is that it?”

“No!” Ink smiled embarrassedly. “We never did anything like that in reality. You know the saying: it’s not worth it to ruin a good friendship with sex? And we follow that saying. But wet dreams,” he laughed awkwardly, “were never forbidden. One time, Dream somehow noticed that I was very tense. You know, it’s hard for me to find a partner for a long-term relationship, and a quick fuck from time to time doesn't always satisfy to the fullest. So, Dream confessed that he had a similar problem. We were sad for a while, thought about it and decided to meet in an erotic dream,” Ink unwittingly blushed, and hearts glowed in his eyes. “And we liked it. Of course it was probably unnecessary to drag Lust into our dream. He then couldn't recover from it for a week. And other people we know were hooked up on this idea, and one time we had a grand evening of erotic dreams.”

The black skeleton’s imagination had saved to imagine the described to itself, and nearly sent him for another tour labelled “Rebooting”. But Error held himself together, though his image of peace was lying by his feet in shards and was flailing in dying convulsions.

“Have you dragged Blue into your swingers’ party as well?”

“Yeah,” then Ink smacked himself on the forehead. “And would you believe it, he shocked us. No-one expected anything like THAT from the little, INNOCENT berry. That was so much fun,” Ink sighed and grinned: “But it’s all dreams. It does help to release the tension, of course. But sometimes Dream gets into it too much and makes pranks like the one you saw. And only yesterday Dust got him with his broom for that. Ha!”

Then Ink, finally, noticed the stain on his shorts, hit his forehead a bit harder and went away to get changed. Error still couldn't get the hidden fear from his eyes and the nervous smile off his face. If the dreamer has already reached Dust, then it will be his turn soon.

When Ink was going up the stairs, he called out:

“Don’t worry, Dream won’t get to you. And especially won’t send you any dreams like that. So don't be afraid.”

Error wasn't afraid. He was even a little upset over it. It could’ve been fun. Definitely better than his nightmares. For a second, he allowed himself to imagine something of the sort and became embarrassed. That was his maximum of the reaction to something like that before the pregnancy was over.

It was now Error’s turn to clobber himself on the forehead:

“What am I thinking about, stars! Haven’t you had enough then, Error! Piece of idiot!”

He felt the spasming again. But Error didn't hurry to the couch. He didn't want to go where the damned artist was twisting from pleasure. He had to endure it, swear through it and go back to his room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *the Russian metaphor 'to spit at the ceiling' is the same as the saying 'to twiddle one's thumbs'.


	12. Bad Guys

The dream was murky. Seems to be a nightmare but there was no urge to run from it. As if it was someone else’s dream and he wasn't the victim in it.

Error was even bewildered in the first moment. He gazed into the half-dark nothingness and, in some distance, saw his torturer. Nightmare was standing, swaying a bit and was saying something, but not to Error, but to somewhere above, as if talking to the stars that weren’t there.

The destroyer didn't approach him at once. Yes, it was a dream, but Nightmare can go into dreams. What if he found a way to go around Ink’s defence?

Nightmare continued to sway, talk with the dark sky and not pay any attention to Error. Unusual behaviour for him.

Curiosity overcame caution: “Maybe, it’s just a dream, and I hope I can make this bastard pay in it!” and the black skeleton slowly came up to the one he hated. And, in surprise, he froze. Only one half of Nightmare’s body was covered in black slime, the other half revealed white bones — his true guise. He looked a lot like Dream, but with the gaze of lavender eyes.

Moving closer, Error heard what the maniac was whispering:

“I break everything I touch. I break everything I touch. I break everything I touch,” and continued like that in a cycle. One phrase to the skies. His gaze was dead, empty and the mechanical swaying continued.

Confused, Error stepped back. He couldn't find the wish to get revenge on this Nightmare. On the contrary, he wanted to run from him, like from a black hole of despair which could swallow him in as well. It would share the feeling of his life breaking to pieces, it would, too, turn him into a despairing creature.

Error ran away, and continued to run until he woke up.

Echoes from the strange dream continued to pursue him for some time. The phrase: “I break everything I touch” continued to ring in his ears.

It was the filthy and outspoken truth for many stumbling fools. And Error felt that he was one of those fools. He, too, broke everything he touched. People, worlds, connections. But, recently, life gave him a right slap in the face for his sins and nudged him near the edge of the abyss. Error managed to stay on the edge and find the strength to step away. But he continued to see the edge and thought that everything could’ve ended in that damned basement.

But he was fine for now. And...Ink was in his bed again.

The destroyer suspected that the rainbow asshole was lying about the nightmares to have an excuse to sleep near him every day. Error looked at the sleepy face with the blotch on the cheek and grunted: “Let him sleep. And it would be good for me to doze for a bit more.” and laid back down. 

Ink smiled slightly and moved closer.

They still had to wake up, though. Their companions tactfully waited in the living room, and not bursting in with the demand to leap off the bed, regenerate their energy with coffee and run into battle, but their voices were occasionally heard from downstairs.

Letting out a sad sigh, Ink got up and went to his room to get changed. No need for any unnecessary excuses for jokes.

“Dust promised to come here in two hours,” said Blue.

“Yeah,” yawned Ink. Error wasn’t evoking as much worry as before, but they still left someone to look after him. Just in case. “Error is going to wake up then.”

The guardians left through the portal. Today they were going to visit a few of Nightmare’s feeding places and ask the residents about the octopus. Last time they saw him, he still didn't look healthy, and didn't undertake any active movements. But that could change at any moment. Nightmare could pull himself together and try to conquer some universe.

They didn't know that Nightmare was still in depression and did anything only with nudges and occasionally kicks from Killer and Horror.

“It can’t continue like this,” said Horror to Killer, who just entered the hall.

“What can we do? Our leader became inadequate after the death of those two.”

“Say it plainly: after Error’s death. For Dust, like for us, he doesn't care. He can find more cretins like that.”

Killer shrugged his shoulders at that:

“If he can — he already would’ve. You know how many Dusts, Horrors and Killers exist. There are thousands of us. But he chose us.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Horror tossed up his axe and caught it, “he chose you.”

“Yeah,” a smirk appeared on Killer’s face, “he didn't choose you. We picked you up.”

The axe didn't reach its target, hitting the wall instead.

“Go back! To your world! It probably already relaxed after you left. And will perk up again when you return. That’s how you like to kill friends and family.”

Bones cut the chair in half but didn't reach their target either. Horror jumped onto the floor.

“No, you go! Into the Void! You don't have anywhere to go, that’s why you stay here with Nightmare. But I don't want to go back! I’m fine here!”

The skeletons were growling at each other. They appeared in service for the lord of nightmares for different reasons. One lost his native world and he had nowhere to go. And the other…

Killer remembered how he crossed the line called madness, and remembered the enjoyment in the new game. Horror was right: he did like killing friends and family. To cut off their begging with a crunch of bones, enjoy their cries of pain accompanied with laser blasts, he loved their tears.

After a sequence of infinite resets, it was something new, fresh and wonderful. But that got boring too.

Killer took Nightmare’s appearance as a descent of a saint. Finally, his life will change drastically. And he left his universe, sighing with relief as he did so. He wasn't going to kill any of his friends and loved ones. Their only problem now — Chara.

He thought about it and was surprised by his thoughts. Was there really anything left in him from that lazy skeleton who was a brother?

He never looked into his world again. Never. Voluntarily and happily, he followed the power-hungry lord of negativity. Perhaps, he liked it when it was only the two of them.

Then Dust arrived. A psychopath like him, but he killed not for fun but out of mercy. Perhaps, Killer didn't like that alternative of himself so much. But he didn't care!

It was different with Horror. The starved, thin skeleton, who went off his holey head, appeared in their team unexpected. He wandered in the Void between the universes and gnawed on his bloody axe. It turned out that that psycho tried to eat Core!Frisk. He saw them, ran after them, fell into a portal and appeared in the mysterious nothingness.

“You tried to eat Core?!”

That day was the first time Nightmare laughed in front of his admirers. Till tears. When he finished laughing, he ordered the others not to kill the axe-gnawer and let him go. 

“Let him go?” asked Dust in terror. He was barely holding onto him, distracting him with his hand, which the cannibal was trying to sink his teeth into.

They had to feed him. Pulled out a giant beef thigh from a random world and threw it further away. Watched how the skeleton went for it. They were impressed how he could tear off chunks and swallow bones. Were horrified. And decided to let that psycho live with them. If not as a member of the team, then as a pet.

But the “pet” had other ideas. He wanted to go home. Only there was no more home. While Horror was wandering around the Void, his world collapsed. Maybe Error put more effort in, or maybe the Creator erased the world themselves. But it was now a fact: his Horrortale didn't exist anymore.

Nightmare found out about it when he heard the whining of the ever-hungry skeleton, and tried to find his world to show the other that everything was going to be fine with his brother. He didn't find it. That world was no more. Horror had nowhere to go back to. And to no one.

That’s how he stayed in the castle, where there was food and warmth.

Nightmare didn't need a lot: you had to obey and follow orders, enjoy the pain you inflicted and don't argue about orders. For lazy Sanses, who didn't want to decide for themselves, the octopus fitted into the role of a leader.

All was fine for them. One leads, the second is always eating something, the third talks with his schizophrenia, and the fourth enjoys it all. Ideal.

And then Error came along. And he brought problems.

Error, unlike the others, didn't want to be Nightmare’s pawn and behaved around him like they were equal. Made him consider. How that drove everyone mad. And what else drove them mad is that, for some time, Nightmare allowed Error to behave freely like that.

They knew it: he wanted him! Of course, they didn't know in what sense. And when they did know in which sense, it knocked them off track. Dust even killed himself. While they...were nightmares on the brink of falling apart.

Killer folded his arms on his chest and leaned on the wall:

“Nightmare feels better. Soon, he will return to normal.”

“And then what?”

“Everything will be like before.”

Horror sat into a crumbling chair and didn't answer. Did he want it to be like before? Did he need it? What did he need at all? No hunger? There was plenty of food, the pantry was half-full. He ate without want. But the piece didn't go down his throat. There was no home. No brother. Nightmare was suffering from guilt, Killer was looking after the Boss like after a child, Error was tortured till death, Dust left into a better world, while he...while Horror was waiting for something…

...Maybe he needed to...leave as well.

“Hey, Killer. Will you miss me if I’m gone?”

Killer stared in bewilderment at the hole-head and shuddered:

“Don’t even think about it!!!” he hissed. “We already have had enough with one suicide! If you’re sick of everything, take the portal and go wherever you want. Nightmare won’t chase after you. He’ll be too lazy to look for you, he’s still a Sans, even if an alternative one.”

“He won’t chase after me,” repeated Horror and asked: “Then what’s holding you here?”

Killer didn't answer. He had remembered how he first saw Nightmare. As what? The same, as he was now. Broken, but whole. Strong, but weak. With mad ideas and thirst to make them real. Lonely, but unable to trust anyone. Because the one who was supposed to support him in life betrayed him. How can you trust anyone after that?

Horror disappeared that evening. Where to, and what happened with him next, Killer didn’t know. Maybe did the same as Dust, or maybe stumbled into some alternative universe. Began a new life. It didn't matter to Killer, what mattered was that Nightmare shouldn't find out. What if those news made the depression worse. But Nightmare already knew.

“Did he leave?” he asked, when Killer, by habit, entered without knocking. The other was sitting in an armchair with a book on his lap and didn’t look like he was interested in the answer.

“Yes. He, too, ...left. Is that important?” Killer went up to Nightmare, using all of his willpower to preserve a careless look.

“No,” Nightmare turned a page and sighed. “It’s not. What about you?”

“I’m not going to leave.”

“Why?”

Killer only shrugged at that.

“We need to feed tomorrow. We can go to HELP_tale. A new cycle will begin there soon.”

At that, Nightmare only waved a tentacle and smirked:

“We’ll start from the beginning,” and snapped the book shut. “The main thing is to start.”


	13. Tick-tock, Tick-tock

Sometimes it happens like this: you look back but you only see the darkness of the unknown. And you don't want to figure out that mess. You just want to turn away and leave it all behind. And Error always did that. And, again, was supposed to do that. But, against himself, he turned his face to that darkness and looked into it.

He hooted into the seeming abyss.

His sins, his mistakes, his pain. There were only his feelings and actions. A constant egoism which led him to what he had now. Was it good? No. Was it bad? Maybe. It was just natural.

Error looked away from the past and gazed into the future. Whether it was gloomy and dark like his past depended on him. Or it will become something else. But for the future to be different from the past, you had to change.

He already began to change. He was going to give the child a life.

His hand slid into the bulging clot. Which was now too big to be easily hidden under the clothes. Alive. With its own soul, that wasn't darkened by its fathers’ sins. But with their destroying power to break everything. Error felt how powerful his child was and how that power continued to grow. And the power didn't seem like it was anything light either. Two of the most powerful bastards couldn't give anything light to their child. That power scared him a little.

It depressed him.

Error couldn't guarantee anything to the child — even his presence in the other’s life. At first, he was going to give him away straight after birth. But were the Stars going to do with him?

Nothing bad, right?

Error was in doubt. Dream already hated his nephew, Ink was soulless and doesn't know how to interact with children. Blue was not much more than a child himself and he had other things to do besides looking after a child. Which would mean that the responsibility would be onto Papyrus. And that was a separate line of worries.

“But I’m not suitable for the role of a parent either,” said the destroyer aloud and felt how the child kicked out in disagreement. “And why am I trying to make things harder for myself? Give birth, give you to them and leave without a second thought. That would be more simple.”

He didn't know of Ink’s wish to adopt the child. The artist still couldn't tell Error about it. If Ink had told him, maybe Error would worry less.

His thoughts swarmed like flies in his head and buzzed, drowning out all noises around. They had no right or wrong approach. They were just thoughts and doubts, all piled together into an incomprehensible attempt to prevail their nature and find the right way.

“What are you thinking about?”

Ink returned more than ten minutes ago and had time to get changed and make some hot chocolate. He brought one cup for Error, who just woke up from his thoughts.

“About the future,” the black skeleton admitted honestly.

Ink tensed, awaiting to hear something unpleasant, but Error stayed relaxed and quiet. He drank the cocoa and was lost in his thoughts, which he wasn’t going to share. 

Then he put the empty cup on the coffee table and got up. He saw himself in the mirror and swore.

Even with the fact that a pregnant skeleton looked very different from a pregnant human, Error exactly felt like a pregnant woman. He was looking into the mirror, saw the round something instead of the usual flat nothingness and was growling quietly in irritation.

“Come on, Error,” Ink was chuckling in earnest at the destroyer’s reaction. To him, on the contrary, the current appearance of the destroyer was very cute. “There’s not long left.”

He came up to the other and lifted the scarlet shirt. To which Error only let out a sigh. If the guardian liked looking at the child — let him look at it then.

The child was fully formed and didn't look too delicate now, just small. And that smallness became more active than before. Sometimes Error even veered to the side from the twists and turns from the child. It wasn't unpleasant, but...strange. It was like a sign that it was becoming unbearable in the “prison” of someone else’s body and he was asking to be let out.

“It’s about a month left?” Error tried to count.

One month. The realization of it hit him with a sack of dust. So little time until having to make the final choice.

“Is everything okay?” Ink drank some worry so that his emotions didn't look too fake.

“No. Everything is not okay,” Error admitted honestly. And went up to his room where he could exchange thoughts alone.

There was no right choice. There was only the one that he would choose.

After a couple of days, Nightmare made his move. Unexpectedly and mercilessly, he burst into the light world of Fruittale and, before the guardians arrived, he managed not to only kill half of the population, but to also turn the human into stone.

“Where did he get so much magic to do that trick again?” Dream was horrified, remembering how he spent a thousand years as a statue like that. He couldn't reverse Nightmare’s magic and return Frisk to normal. He needed lots of time and lots of power for that, and to practically set up camp in this world to help them. And it wasn't a fact that Nightmare wouldn't use Dream’s preoccupation as an opportunity and do something even worse.

Dream, Ink and Blue stayed in the ruins of the never-beautiful world which lost its power of a reset. Then, it had two ways to go: either die slowly and become a colourless sketch doomed to becoming a part of the Void, either, if the Creator of the world falls into depression or rage, grow in sadness and loss, slowly turning into a negative universe.

Blue ran to help the injured and reassure the restless monsters. While the guardians of alternate universes and dreams stayed put, knowing that they lost another world to Nightmare.

“Well,” Ink noted indifferently, “at least now we know for sure,” he turned to look at the dumbfounded Dream, “that your brother is completely fine.”

Error was sitting on the couch in the living room and watching Undernovela, when he felt how the Multiverse shook. He knew the feeling, when the scales of negativity and positivity tilted too much to one side. With creaking and grinding of a mechanical device that hasn’t had its joints oiled in a long time. But he never felt it so sharply before.

“I think it’s because of you, little guy,” the black skeleton said quietly, stroking the clot. “Judging by the feeling, Ink lost. Hah, I hope he comes back alive.”

He did. As often, empty. To Error, Ink wasn't trying to be kind, happy or, on the contrary, angry. And he often scared the other with his soulless and emotionless shell, which, like a zombie, moves around, wishing to satisfy his hunger and thirst, beat up someone’s ass for creating problems or discuss things from the third-party topics with the guest of the house, in whose bed he settled.

“He tricked you,” stated the black skeleton.

“Yes,” Ink shrugged. What’s to be done, it happens. He left his paintbrush by the door and sat down near on the couch. “And now Frisk is standing as a stone sculpture in the midst of the destroyed Fruittale. But how did you know?”

Error shrugged and confessed:

“I could always feel some changes in the Multiverse, but that was the first time it was that sharp. I think it’s because of the child. He’s very sensitive to changes. And I think that a part of my nightmares came from him,” Error remembered that part of his dreams that weren't exactly pleasant but didn't make him wake up in terror. For instance, the one where he saw Nightmare talking with the sky, or the one where he was walking for a long time through a forest that was covered with slime, or that psychedelic one where, instead of the child, a caterpillar with wings sat inside him...brrrr!

“Wow! I believe even more into the resurrection of Dreamtale.”

“I hope you aren't going to be torturing the child?” Error tensed. “Shield him from the world and cram him full of rainbow crap so that he would be on your side?”

Ink’s face showed surprise and he smiled lightly:

“Don't worry, I don't think anything of the sort will be necessary. Children are trusting, and we are planning to execute the plan before he grows up. He won’t have to make a choice and suffer in doubt. If he isn’t going to take either side in the future, instead wanting to lead a neutral form of life, he can always blame us for controlling his actions.”

“I can see you’ve thought everything through,” smirked the black skeleton and stroked the clot again automatically.

“Not everything,” Ink leaned onto the back of the couch and closed his eyes a bit. “By far, not everything can be predicted and thought through. But I believe in the better. I want to believe in the better.”

Error nodded. He, too, wanted to believe in the better. He wanted his lifelong line of shit to completely change into something light, new and pleasant.

If Dust managed to change. Then he can too.


	14. The Illusion

During all of next day, everyone was busy. The Stars were trying to help Fruittale, Dust was helping Error, while Error himself was restless and was constantly moving from one room to another. While doing so, he refused to leave the house. 

Strange things happened with him. Sometimes the child froze, as if dead, and the clot itself became hard and very heavy. In those moments, Error grabbed the clot and leaned onto a wall or the couch. But refused to lie down. And continued to rush about the house like a demented person in a padded cell.

“Error, for stars’ sake, calm down,” Dust was running after him in irritation. “You’re not giving birth yet. It’s the preparation for the process. It happens during the final weeks before the actual labour. Sometimes even a month before.”

“Fuck off! Can’t you see that I feel terrible!”

“I do see! But I can’t help you while you’re rushing around like that. Just lie down, relax, and it will soon pass.”

“How do you know any of this?!” growled the black skeleton at him, running out of the bathroom and into the art room. Out of there, he ran out even quicker. The concentrated smell of paint in that room was still unbearable to him.

“From smart books,” grinned Dust. “Actually, we all have read about how it happens and how it should be controlled. We even went to Undyne from Underswap so that she would tell us the details. So that any of us would be able to help you.”

Finally, Error became tired and sat on the couch, then laid down. It really did start to pass. And the restlessness made way for sleepiness.

The next fit of this was with Blue. And in the same way he followed Error around while the other was rushing about the house again. He was chuckling, trying to calm down the other with different stories and promised that when the real time to give birth will come, he will understand it. For now he needed to sit down and calm down.

But Error couldn't just sit down and relax. An emotional hurricane of fear, anger and pain stormed inside him. And those emotions seemed to pass onto the child, as he, too kept moving around restlessly and didn't want to be still, like the last time. And that made Error even more distressed.

During one particular sharp twist, it so happened that Blue didn't manage to get out of Error’s way in time and walked onto him. His hand touched the clot, and then something unusual and frightening happened.

For an instant, his vision went dark. Then Blue was in a house. His house. But he wasn't himself. In his hands — a knife with a bloody blade, and by his feet — his brother’s dead body. Which meant that he had crossed the line…

Blue shuddered. He jerked his hand away from the clot as if it burned him, pressed it to his chest and moved away, breathing agitatedly. Now he was the one in need of reassurance.

The youngest guardian looked at his hands and felt as if he was short of breath. His arms were covered in blood up to his elbows. He ran to the sink and rubbed, rubbed, rubbed the bone till it bled.

“Blue?” Error was beside him, shuffling in worry, not wanting to touch the other at first, who suddenly behaved like a lunatic who saw a ghost.

“Huh?” the skeleton in the blue scarf woke up from his delusion. He looked at his hurting hands, at the bloody water that was going down the drain, and swallowed. “Stars...what was that?”

“What was what?”

Error didn't know what the frightened Blue was talking about. He only saw how the other suddenly twitched, recoiled and ran to wash his hands with a face like he killed someone. Where did the blood come from then? And how did it appear out of nowhere on clean hands? Error wasn't hurt, and Blue, before his attempts to rub off the outer layer of bone on his hands, was all right as well.

“Ummm...it doesn't matter...I overreacted,” Blue found the strength to muster a smile and offered to play video games.

Error listened into himself. The hurricane inside him settled down, changing into some sort of emptiness. He didn't want to eat or drink anything, he didn't want to play anything, but Blue needed to distract himself, and the black skeleton nodded in agreement.

“Of course. Let’s put some antiseptic on your hands first. What did you rub them with? A metal scourer?”

Maybe there was no blood at all, maybe it was a hallucination? Maybe the powers of the yet unborn child are starting to show!

In any case, Blue was a bit tense and he smiled tensely too. He agreed with Error that a couple of hours of sleep would be good for the other and let him go to his room. For the rest of the day he sat with a cup of tea, that had long since gone cold, and drilled his gaze into the kitchen wall.

Finally, the front door opened, and the owner of the house came in.

“Ink!!!” the wearer of the blue scarf almost jumped into his friend’s embrace.

“Wow! Unplanned hugs? What did you do?”

“I’m just really glad to see you!”

Being someone who fakes emotions, Ink immediately understood that the smile worn by the young friend wasn’t real. Behind it crouched something considerably alarming.

“Now, let’s go to the kitchen, and you can explain everything to me.”

Blue didn't know how to explain about what happened. He breathed in, but then breathed out again, rewinding what happened in his head with doubt.

“Ink, listen.”

“M?”

“I touched the child today. On accident,” Blue squeaked, as if making an excuse. “And he...he showed me something scary.”

The young guardian described what happened and his feelings as much as he could. Now, after a few hours, it didn't seem so traumatizing anymore, but he still couldn't forget the sensation of warm, sticky blood on his hands.

“The vision was fake, but the blood was real. I swear it was!”

Ink tilted his head in thought and asked him again:

“So he scared you. He applied magic in an unknown way to create a believable illusion and make you dash away from your own thoughts?”

“Yes.”

“An unborn child scared you?”

“...Yes,” now Blue was embarrassed. “I don't mean that the child is evil, but…” Blue covered his face with his hands. “You’re right, I was just scared. I made a big deal out of it and now I need reassurance. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry,” Ink accepted what happened surprisingly easily. “Maybe, the child got scared himself. Dream starts to shoot dreams and arrows if he is scared. While Nightmare, I heard, throws nightmares about. I suppose that the future nightmare has a similar defence mechanism. But he doesn't control dreams, but something more solid. Illusions, for example. And he hit you with what he had.”

Blue nodded in agreement:

“Probably. Error was dashing about the house today again and he was frightened. Do you think he’s scared of labour?”

“I think that all of his instincts are going haywire,” Ink finally drank from the cup of hot tea, and said with a smile: “Error is not scared of giving birth. He’s scared of what will happen afterwards. He’s scared of making big decisions,” the smile on Ink’s face became wider. “But when he does make a choice, he then stubbornly follows that way.”

Ink waited, didn't pressure, but believed that Error will choose a way that will be pleasant for the both of them.


	15. The Unknown One

It was as if Nightmare was using Error’s tactic. The other, being a destroyer, did the same: got rid of the human. Took their soul and left the universe to self-destruct.

Another world full of positivity was falling — Sugartale.

“This isn’t a joke anymore,” Ink crossed his arms and looked over the ruins of the universe with a cold, calculating look. “Where did Nightmare get enough magic to make a second statue? And how, stars tell, does he do that in a POSITIVE universe? For the second time?! The second damn time!”

Dream didn't know any answers. He tightly clenched his fists and teeth and endured the internal pain. His hope, that his brother would suddenly change his mind, having “lost” his loved one, fell down to the ground and shattered to pieces.

Sugartale dissolved like sugar in tea, but, instead of sweetness, it gave off negativity.

Blue looked at it through a blurry of tears. Even he knew that no one can help this world. It was dying. Slowly and grimly.

Those residents who shortly before were crying over dead bodies began to lose their colours and turned into cold, colourless candy statues. Without emotions and wishes. Some realized that their end was near and stretched their hands out to the guardians, begged them to help. But nor Ink, nor Dream, nor Blue could do anything for them.

Sugartale wasn't popular enough for its collapse to be slowed down. The only thing left to do was watch it die.

“Sorry,” whispered Blue.

“We’re really sorry,” echoed Dream.

And only Ink continued to be an embodiment of coldness. He saw how the hands that stretched out to him became clear, phantom-like. How the shapes are washed out, as if paint with water, how the last shreds of life leave the colourless world.

And there they stand, in an empty nothingness.

The artist licked from the red vial:

“We need to find the reason for Nightmare’s sudden activity as soon as possible. We need to find out how he can do this in positive universes. We need to find out where he gets his magic from. If we don't block his path in the near time, then we’ll be lucky if half the Multiverse survives before we can ressurect Dreamtale.”

“And how will we find out all of this?” Dream wiped his tears away.

“I will talk with Error. I think that he’s had enough to know the answers to some questions. Blue, you talk with Dust. Dream, go with him.”

The Stars burst into the house in the Void, Blue and Dream swiped Dust away and took him to talk in Underswap. Ink sat in Dust’s place on the couch and stared at Error with a look that did not bode well.

“Urgent question, Error.”

Error waved his hand:

“Go ahead.”

“It’s to do with Nightmare, are you ready to talk about him?”

Error wavered for a couple of moments, but in the end he shrugged:

“I’ll be fine. What’s with that freak?”

“Alive, in one piece and in full bloom,” Ink grimaced. “Already enslaved the second world in a row. Or rather, sends it to die a torturing death. Much like your signature move when you wanted to play around. Only he runs away from a battle like an eight-pawed jackal!”

Error didn't like this similarity with him. He wanted to have as little as possible in common with Nightmare. But how? Inside him was a child from that bastard and he also indirectly participates in the saving of the apple universe, which means his apple soul as well.

Error growled in his thoughts. But Ink knocked him from his thought by continuing the monologue:

“He’s using the stone spell again, and in a positive universe as well!”

“Wow! You need a lot of magic to implement that shit.”

“Right. And I have no idea where he’s getting it from. Maybe you know?”

“Hmmm!” Error was lost in thought. He remembered all the moments with Nightmare, trying to ignore the basement and all that was associated with it, analyzed and tried to understand in what times and where from Nightmare could get large amounts of magic. Where did he get negativity from? “You remember that time when Dream hit him with one of his arrows?”

“Yeah,” Ink shuddered. “Dream almost lost his mind from the thought that he could’ve killed his brother.”

Error grinned. When that happened, hell knows what was happening in the castle. The nightmares were nearly running on the ceiling out of fear, while Nightmare was cursing, shooing them away with tentacles and trying to tear the arrow out of himself which was stuck, damn it! Then the destroyer just tied up the octopus and tore out the arrow, along with a chunk of bone.

How much screaming there was! And how much swearing!

“Yeah, that was fun,” the black skeleton admitted and continued: “so, straight after that, Night went to HELP_tale. And came back from there freshened up and in one piece. He went there to the beginning of every cycle. And for a short period of time he became very powerful. That’s all I can help with.” 

Error’s tone stayed calm, with notes of nostalgia, but inside every part of him shrank and twisted with every memory. Ink noticed this and didn't dig into the details. He went to Underswap, hoping that Dust could say something worthy to clarify the situation.

And Dust didn't betray them. Ink only had time to come near to his friends, when they asked Dust:

“Tell him what you told us!”

“When a new cycle begins in HELP_tale, it starts with a global mutation of the world. Which is the turning of all the monsters into those wet, ugly creatures. And it all looks like a horror movie with a rating of one hundred plus and more. No, seriously, I threw up when I saw it. And then...too…”

Dust’s face acquired a sickly shade of green and he started to fight down the nausea. When he first saw HELP_tale and the beginning of its cycle, he had terrible nightmares for the next year. Perhaps, since that moment, he started thinking that the horrors from his native world weren't so horrible after all.

Ink let Dust catch his breath and directed his thoughts into the right direction:

“But that hellish universe resets only once a year.”

“Yeah,” swallowed Dust and continued: “So. One time the cycle was broken. Some kind of Sans came to HELP_tale, who managed to make the reset happen earlier than usual. We didn't see him, but Nightmare spent a lot of time searching. He said that if he had a Sans like that by his side, he would be able to feed off HELP_tale’s negativity every day and would become the lord of the multiverse in less than a year.”

Ink imagined something like that and was terrified.

“But he didn't find him?”

“No,” Dust rubbed his chin and noted: “Though he did look for him everywhere he could. He sent us to all the universes. And was very disappointed when nothing came up.”

“Apparently, something came up,” Dream darkened.

“Probably, either Nightmare found that Sans or found a different way to control the mutation of HELP_tale?” Ink rubbed his forehead. “Or HELP_tale isn’t the case at all.”

“I don't know any other worlds where Night could get charged with negativity of that power,” noted Dust. “He looked for one. And didn't find any. I doubt anything dawned on him.”

“Ye-eah,” Ink held out. “The possibility of a new pawn in the form of a Sans that is capable of restarting the progress of the universe seems more likely. By the way!” he cried out and moved towards Dust so sharply and closely that the other nearly fell off the chair from fright.

“Error can do that as well! Why didn't Nightmare... “ Ink saw surprise on the face of the former nightmare and understood: “He didn't know.”

“If Night knew that Error was capable of something like that, our blackboned friend would’ve found himself in the basement a long time ago,” smirked Dust and leaned away from Ink.

“Got it,” nodded Ink and, finally, moved away. “Then we need to go to HELP_tale and find out what kind of Sans is so powerful.”

Blue put his hands on his chest and stepped away from his friends.

“Call me a coward, but I’m not going into HELP_tale ever.”

“Heh heh heh,” laughed Dust humourlessly, “after your words, they should consider you a reasonable skeleton with a good instinct for keeping your health and mind safe.”

Ink grinned and agreed:

“I agree. Stay with Error. And, Dream, you stay as well. I think you know why.”

Dream nodded. His positivity in HELP_tale would’ve looked like a firework at a funeral: out of place and very noticeable. And Ink couldn't experience any emotions at all and often was invisible to the lord of nightmares.

Error didn't like the fact that the guardian of the world was going to one of the most dangerous universes like a lone ranger. But he didn't dare say a word against it. Ink, after all, wasn’t a baroness, but a warrior. And very strong too, which the black skeleton knew more than once.

It wasn’t put off for another time. After a couple of minutes, the prepared guardian of the worlds left.

“Good luck, Ink,” whispered Error to the other as he was leaving.

He didn't know that he wouldn't see Ink for three weeks. Three damned weeks! And that he wouldn't know if the other was alive or in Nightmare’s basement. If he did know, he would’ve...well, hugged him, as a minimum...maybe.

Sympathy and uncertainty filled his soul the next day. Fits of pain and heaviness occurred more often and they worsened the destroyer’s already shitty mood.

Others were nervous as well. But no one went to help.

“Calm down, Error,” Dream irritatedly sat him down. “If something happened to Ink, we would’ve felt it. He’s too important for the balance, remember?”

“We would’ve felt his death!” snapped Error, but still sat down at the table. “And your brother can do many more things besides killing.”

Dream wanted to say that you couldn't catch Ink out with torture, but clenched his teeth and stayed silent. He noticed that when he was close to the unborn child, negativity stirs up inside of him. Remembering it, he pulled himself together and checked the balance of powers in the Multiverse once again. The side with positivity was still higher than negativity, but the recent events almost equalled out the chances. Since then, Dream checked the scales as often as he could.

Blue was trying to distract himself and played video games with Dust. And only Error continued to nervously stroke the clot and run about the house.

Ink returned. Broken, with one arm missing, dangerously empty, but alive.

And with news.


	16. A Worrying Moment

Ink was immediately sent to the bathroom. He had absorbed lots of HELP_tale’s air. Even Horror’s native world didn't have such a terrible stench. His clothes had to be burned, and his bones, which seemed to have absorbed the smell of fear and deacy, — be rubbed till they reddened. The guardian spent three hours in the bathroom and still couldn't completely get rid of the smell. While at it, he restored his arm as well.

“The news are bad, I’m warning you straight away,” no-one was nervous, no-one wanted to be terrified, so Ink continued: “Our guesses have been confirmed. Nightmare has a new Sans in his gang. And he’s powerful.”

“Was it him who injured you?” asked Blue pityingly.

“No,” Ink shook his head and gave a crooked grin: “The residents of HELP_tale aren't exactly harmless dandelions. I had to run about for a bit, then I slunk behind corners and waited for Nightmare and his new pawn’s arrival. And I hope that I wasn't noticed by them.”

“So you were hiding like a coward,” said Error, even though he understood the difference between cowardice and strategy.

“Not like a coward, but I was hiding. For a long time. Because of that, I managed to find out which world was the next target: the peaceful SkeletonCharatale. And the attack will happen in a couple of hours. So we’ll have to hurry with the defence for the world. Possibly, not only protect the universe but also neutralise the new nightmare. Once done, we can think about blocking HELP_tale.” 

Ink got up, and the rest of the guardians followed him.

“Hey! You didn't say who that guy was, the one who can reset the worlds!” demanded Error.

“Nightmare was calling him Virus,” Ink waved him off, as if that wasn't the reason for which he spent three weeks in the hell of the Multiverse. Maybe more or less — Error couldn't remember how differently time passed in that universe.

“And that’s it? That’s all you found out?” the black skeleton was horrified.

“Yes,” Ink continued to frighten him with his lack of emotion. And, judging by the empty vials on his sash, he was going to do so for a while.

The guardians left. Error smacked his own forehead and turned to Dust:

“They’re going to fight against someone who they completely know nothing about, did I get that right?”

The former nightmare didn’t share his friend’s panic and, too, waved him away with words:

“They only know nothing about him for the time being. They’ll have something to tell us by the evening.”

“Evening? By which universe are you counting by?”

Dust thought for a second. Time in Dreamtale went a lot quicker than in the other worlds. In the Swap universe, on the contrary, it went slower. Though, it was different for every Swap universe. In HELP_tale it was even slower. In Horrortale, it was as if the time had stopped entirely… He couldn’t choose a universe to count from, so the dusty one simply nodded towards the clock that hung on the wall.

Evening came, and the guardians still weren’t back. And, from the nerves, Error couldn’t sleep, nor eat, and looked like he was about to lose consciousness.

“Listen, you pregnant creature pretending to be a mighty world destroyer, calm your hormones! Nothing will happen to your Ink!”

“He’s not mine!”

“Well, then you’re his. It flies either way. The main thing is that he’s stronger than you and Nightmare, otherwise he would’ve lost to the both of you a long time ago. Calm down!”

“I’m trying!” the black skeleton was freaking out.

Contrary to Error, Dust was able to pull himself together and think rationally:

“Listen. I know that the pregnancy makes you less adequate and hyper emotional, and I don't need anything from you, except knowing that the guardians are skeletons that are grown-up and strong enough and able to stand their ground. Try to think, and you will understand that you worried over nothing.”

Error tried to, and began worrying even more.

“I, too, am grown-up and powerful enough, but what did I end up with?”

“You haven’t ended yet,” sighed Dust and leaned onto the back of the couch. “And I hope that you won’t end anything any time soon. You’re going to have a child.”

Error grimaced. But he understood the thought and tried to think about something else, and not of the guardians that are battling with Nightmare. It helped. It released the tension a bit, even though Error wasn’t thinking of anything positive. He was trying to imagine himself as a parent. His imagination wasn’t coping well with something like that. It showed everything blurred, looking more like colourful blotches.

“Tell me,” Error was stroking the clot and staring into space. “Do you really believe that I can be a parent?”

Dust nodded. But, upon understanding that Error was looking through him, he voiced his thoughts:

“No-one says that it’s an easy task. No one, out of those who became a parent, knows how they should be and what they should do. So you’re not different from other doubting monsters. No one is perfect. And others like you ask the same questions. But even you can’t answer it, Error. You need to try it, to feel it. And then the answer will come by itself.”

Error gave his friend a look full of gratitude and, finally, relaxed and leaned onto the back of the couch.

The guardians returned tired, beaten, but...pleased!

“The SkeletonCharatale universe is stable. We fought off Nightmare, Killer and Virus,” gloated Blue. The poor guy was barely standing on his feet, but continued to smile, pleased with his successful fighting.

“But we couldn't do anything with Virus,” said Ink, lowering the level of happiness. He rubbed his ribs, and Error noticed holes in his clothing made by an unknown predator. “The bastard turned out to be strong!”

“Not only can that guy turn the world’s code completely upside down, he also carries his sharp-toothed pets everywhere,” Dream scratched his bones through holes in his clothing. “Spheres with teeth.”

“By looks, Virus is a Sans from a Fell timeline in a red coat. Maybe you know one like that?” Ink finally got some more paint from his supplies and drank some. In his voice appeared the long-awaited curiosity with notes of other emotions. “Otherwise we’ll be looking for his universe until forever.”

The skeletons gathered in the kitchen, sat at the table.

Error and Dust both tried to remember a Sans that had pets, but that only made them sure that they never met any. But the black skeleton wasn’t sure if he hadn’t destroyed a world like that. So he offered:

“I will open you a way into my Void. Look among my puppets. Then we’ll know if it’s a new world, or some old one that has resurrected.”

Ink clicked his fingers, surprised that he hadn’t thought about it earlier:

“Error’s right. If he destroyed that guy’s world, but his world resurrected, then we can find it fairly easily. If we don’t find the puppets, then we can guess that Virus is a new character from a recently created world, which also helps us,” then he tiredly put his head onto his folded arms. “Only tomorrow. I have no more strength for today.”

He turned out to be so tired that he fell asleep after half a minute and had to be taken into his room. Error thought, choosing between his empty bed and Ink’s bed with Ink, and chose the latter.

Let the guardian be a soulless, rational asshole with a pack of fake emotions thrice over, but he was still warm. And Error missed him.

Ink fidgeted in his sleep and pressed himself to Error too tightly, threw an arm and a leg over him and hugged him like a pillow. He had missed him too.

Error analyzed himself. Does he like this? To see the guardian so up close, feel his warmth, feel his breathing, feel his embrace? And he realised that he felt no detest to touching from the guardian. But was he ready for more? No. Definitely not. But maybe later on…

With those thoughts, the black skeleton went to sleep. He woke up alone and, for a long time, couldn’t understand where the asshole disappeared to. He remembered that he had offered him so look through his puppets and tutted, offended. They could've taken him with them! But no, the Anti-Void wasn’t safe!

Angry, Error sharply rose from the bed and immediately exclaimed in pain. The part of the spine, to which the clot clung onto, suddenly hurt more than usual. The pain was sharp, fast and flowed over every bone. And it seemed to be new, not like the usual.

Error took a few deep breaths. It seemed to lessen.

This time, he got up slowly and carefully, as if in fear of disturbing a particularly dangerous injury. He stood up, shrugged his shoulders and, by habit, stroked the clot, which turned out to be unexpectedly hot and hard.

He went downstairs and...didn't find anyone.

“Hello?” he called out, at a loss.

There was never a day which he had spent alone. Either Dust, Blue or Ink had always stayed with him. Where were they?

A wave of pain ran over his spine again. Endurable, but unpleasant.

Trying not to panic, Error made himself some hot chocolate, smeared some jam on bread and ate the simple breakfast.

Nobody came.

“Hey? Where is everyone?”

He tried to open a window into Dreamtale: maybe the guardians left for a minute to discuss some matters and they had to be reminded that they had a pregnant skeleton in their care? No window opened. Either his magic decided to rebel, or either Ink’s house was closed off from such manipulations.

What if those idiots were in trouble, what if they would die, and leave him all alone? Give birth by yourself, eat canned food and hope that, someday, someone will save you. 

“Right, Error, don’t think of the worst. It’s bad for you to be nervous. Hey! Voices! Are you still silent?”

The voices had fallen silent in Nightmare’s prison and, since then, Error hadn’t heard a single thought from someone else. At first he was glad, but now he wouldn’t mind their disembodied support.

He swallowed nervously. He went into the living room, wincing from a new fit of pain, and tried to distract himself with a soap opera. It helped for some time. But the clot continued to remind about itself with pain and heat.

“Where are you all?! Found the right moment to disappear!”

Error regretted not having read anything about giving birth. He couldn't overcome his internal conflict. Because of his own carelessness, he didn't know what was with him and how serious it was.

Error pulled up his shirt and looked at the child, who had already been behaving suspiciously quietly for the past hour. And he noticed that the clot had begun to peel itself off his bones.

“Shit!!! INK!!!”

Struggling to fight the panic, Error realized: he is giving birth.

He wanted to simply reboot and skip this moment, fast-forward everything. But the reboots, like the voices, deserted the destroyer because of the pregnancy.

What did he have to do? How was he supposed to be?

But the panic didn't have enough time to completely take him over, as an inky portal opened and all the guardians and Dust stepped into the house. They looked pleased with something, and, for some reason, were really shocked to see Error.

“Why are you up so early!” Ink looked at the clock. Error followed his gaze, and was surprised as well. It turned out that he slept for only three hours. “And what’s the matter with you? You look like you’re about to cry…”

“It started,” said Error defeatedly.


	17. The Light of a New Life

Everyone fussed around immediately. They rushed about.

Labour for skeletons — a fairly quick and painless process. The only things that were needed was calm, a bit of patience and someone to help, just in case.

Error was moved to his bedroom and Ink as well, for assistance. The others wished them luck and closed the door.

Error hesitated by the bed. He glanced at Ink, who was equally at a loss. Both had been waiting for this moment and both were nervous. But one of them — unrealistically, the other — for real.

“I think it’s better if you lie down,” Ink approached him and nudged the black skeleton to the bed. “And take your shirt off.”

“I know that myself!” Error irritatedly pulled the clothing off, laid on the bed and hissed from the pain. He caught his breath and stared up at the ceiling. Thought about it, and turned onto his side.

He was terribly uncomfortable. And it wasn’t painful, just unpleasant. His spine was warmed by the heat from the clot. Regardless of the unpleasant sensations, he started to feel sleepy.

Ink was rushing around the room, as if it was him who was going through this. The artist didn't know what to take and how to behave, his fingers hovered over his paints, finally took some blue, washed it down with yellow and started to cry from happiness. In an attempt to add love to the resulting cocktail, he looked like a smiling idiot with tears leaking out of his eyes which had hearts glowing in them.

“Ink, you're an idiot!” scolded him Error. “Sit down and don't fuss about.”

“I’m sorry, it’s just that I’m really worried…”

“Yeah, I saw how much worry you took. Now drink something else. It would be better if you tell me what’s supposed to happen next. I’m sleepy and can’t think properly.”

There was no need to answer. Pain burned like a whip, Error screamed and then the clot peeled itself off his bones entirely. It fell on the duvet, and the child inside moved weakly. The clot was still connected to its parent’s body by a network of magical veins, which were wrapped around the glitchy soul.

Shocked, the two skeletons shared a look, fell silent and waited.

They had to wait for a long time. Books that said “very fast” were clearly lying. An hour passed, then the next, fifth, but the clot was still connected to Error, though now by only one magic string. The child completely stopped moving, while the gelatinous exterior almost stopped pulsating entirely and started to become thinner. Now it looked more like packing cling film.

Error, at start nervous and waiting impatiently for it to finish, lost his patience and started to fall asleep. Ink, on the contrary, was waiting for the ending tensed up, and occasionally nudged the ‘father’.

“Error, don't sleep. It’s almost done!”

“Leave me alone, nothing depends on me anymore anyway. What’s the difference if I’m asleep or awake?”

“But don't you want to be the first to see your child?”

“Not really. Or did you forget how I got him? What’s the point anyway — he’s just another abomination.”

“Enough, Error. You’ll see him and realize how wrong you were.”

In reply, Ink heard indistinct mumbling from the sleeping skeleton.

They had to wait for another hour. And, finally, the final string thinned, broke and the black clot became a separate being.

Error immediately woke up. Him and Ink became tense. Now was the crucial moment. The dark film shuddered for the last time, giving the child its last drops of magic, and wrapped around the tiny skeleton’s body like a thin blanket. Now, having lost the stream of magic from the parent, the child should’ve began to live, move, break the film covering it and shout.

But he didn't move.

Sometimes this happened. The children didn't wake up, and their life ended pitifully early. They didn't get to see the world.

Error touched the thin film with a hand that shook slightly. He ripped it and started to pull it off. Slightly hesitating, Ink joined in. With four hands, they freed the tiny body from the membrane. And then froze, not knowing what to say, not knowing what to do.

The tiny skeleton wasn’t black, but more grey. His eye sockets were empty. And his body was limp.

“Oh, Error…” in Ink’s eyes glowed teardrops. His hands were on the tiny body and were barely noticeably shaking. “Hold him.”

Darkening even more, the black skeleton pressed the wet lump of bones to himself. He didn't want to think, didn't want to analyze, why he was so sad, if he didn't want this child. And he truly hated its other parent. Then why did it hurt so much?

Ink moved right up to Error and hugged him. But the other was so deep in his mind, that he didn't notice.

The silence was oppressing, but to break it was to finally admit defeat to death. Ink even looked around, in case the grim reaper was there. But instead of Reaper, he found Life with his eyes.

Toriel stood in the corner of the room and was looking at the skeletons in bewilderment. She was biting her lips, not deciding to set the bright light in her hands free. Her gaze was crying out: are you sure you want this child to be born?

Ink gave a barely noticeable nod. He was already going insane that the newborn was evoking so much rejection from his friends. From Dream, who openly confessed his unwillingness to live near this child. From Blue, who was still slightly afraid of him. And now even from Life, who was ready to go against rules to not let the newborn live.

Life smiled sadly and set the flame in her hand free.

In that very moment, the child moved and gave out a small squeak.

Ink could vow that he had never seen such an expression on the destroyer’s face before. Pain, happiness, hate and love were all mixed in it. Tears flowed down his cheekbones.

The newborn’s eyelights started glowing and were a surprising mix of yellow and purple. Magic began to boil, and the tiny skeleton’s legs were covered with glitches. Because of them, it looked like the child had no legs at all, though they could be felt by touch. On his head, a small area was, too, obstructed by glitches. And from that something akin to a shining golden crown appeared.

The child was adorable.

Unable to hold back, Ink kissed Error onto the corner of his mouth and gave a sigh of relief. He was already regretting drinking blue and pink paints before the labour instead of just drinking more yellow. Error looked at the emotional fool from the corner of his eye, but didn't want to ruin the moment with swearing. And he was tired anyway.

“Want to hold him?”

“Of course!”

The child was passed onto a cloth in the arms of the guardian of the alternative universes. And Error snorted:

“You look like you’re the one who became the father.”

Ink merely winked at that — who knows, maybe he has — and sat down near, clumsily rocking the child on his arms.

“What will you call him?”

The question stumped Error. He didn't have the right level of imagination for choosing a name. Until the end, he thought that he wasn’t going to be a part in this child’s life at all. But Ink was right: he only had to feel him as a separate being, hold him in his arms… the moment, when he thought that the child was dead, burned into his memory. It made him reconsider. Now Error thought that he couldn't desert the child for a while, let alone forever. But he wasn't going to give himself to him either. He didn't fall into the category of a proper father. He was a bit better than Nightmare, to be honest. Only he didn't aspire and torture anyone.

“You think of one. You have a better imagination.”

Error looked at how Ink rocked the child, how he smiled at him and how he touched the tiny bones in awe. And he understood that no one would be able to take the child away from him. He’ll cling onto him tightly, but won’t give him away. And if he was going to name him, then it’s as if he’s signed him. And he won’t let anyone hurt him.

“He has a beautiful crown on his head. And he’s your son. We need a name that says it. What do you think of Radier? It can be interpreted as ‘shine’ and ‘cross out’.”

Error looked at the child intently and shrugged his shoulders:

“Why not? If Radier, then Radier. But who is going to look after him? I don’t think that Dream is burning with eagerness to do so.”

“Me,” Ink, finally admitted. “Like I said before, I can’t have children. Then why should I turn down a chance of having the possibility to be a parent? Even like this.”

He pressed the child to himself and threw a bewildered gaze at Error.

“I don't mind, I don't mind!” the destroyer waved him away and closed his eyes. “Let me sleep. Go show the kid to your friends. They’re exhausted already.”


	18. Warmth

He was right. Dream, Blue and Dust all kept a nervous tension. The child was miraculously quiet. Awaiting the shouting of a child, the skeletons were ready for a mournful mood. Therefore, when the door opened and Ink appeared with the burden in his arms, they all breathed out in relief.

“Meet Radier! Look, he’s so lovely!”

The child squeaked in agreement.

The first to come closer to see the newborn were Blue and Dust.

“Oh! He’s so adorable!” squeaked the younger skeleton. The fear he had experienced before didn't get in his way to melt before the child.

Dust was more nagging. He looked at the child with one eye, then the other, and grinned:

“Damn. Error is gonna be very annoyed when he realises that the child doesn't look much like him.”

Dream got the hint, and hurried over to lean over the child. The keeper of dreams only had to look at the child, and he felt like he was electrified, for the newborn looked so much like Nightmare, except that the colour of bones was grey.

The child wasn’t like a clot of negativity anymore and looked more like a neutral being. Though, it was still hard for Dream to be near him. If not physically, then morally.

“He probably needs to be fed,” offered Dream awkwardly, not knowing how else to finish the inspection of the newborn.

“Maybe,” Ink said, unsure, and proposed that they all go downstairs. “Let Error sleep first.”

Nightmare spent that day in his castle: he was looking over the map of the universes with Killer and the new follower — Virus.

A strange type. When Nightmare learned more about him, he even made sure whether he was an illegitimate child of Error and a Fell Sans, for he had some values in him that made him similar with them. There was lots of black and red in his clothing. And on his skull, outlandish marks. It was as if the left side of his face didn't exist, it was covered by lines of code. And his hands were wrapped in blood-red strings.

“Don’t know about those,” the newbie disappointed him.

“You don’t know the destroyer of the universes?” Nightmare was surprised. “He’s one of the strongest Sanses…” his smile wilted, while his excitement was replaced by a short fit of apathy, “...was.”

Killer shoved Virus and gestured to him to put his questions on hold. Virus — understanding little — fell silent.

He followed Nightmare very easily. The lord of nightmares literally beckoned him with his finger and lured him close.

“I was bored,” admitted Virus later on. And he didn't comment on his loyalty in any other way.

And that was fine with Nightmare. The main thing was that he should follow him and not reject orders. For he was a goldmine. Thanks to him, he had a chance to snatch one of the worlds every month. And not just any world, but one of the positive ones. Which slowly tilted the scales towards negativity.

Nightmare barely had time to return from his memories to the map of the universes, when he shuddered in fear. He felt that someone stronger than him appeared, a nightmare which could be dreamt by the lord of terror himself.

“Boss, is everything alright?” asked Killer worriedly.

“No,” said Nightmare honestly and folded his arms on his chest. “The balance of the Mutiverse just shook. The scales stayed where they were, but a new player has joined. I don't know who or where he is, but he’s very strong. And he’s of the same nature as me.”

“A rival? Do we look for him?”

“We can try to. Let’s go guys, we can run through new worlds.”

Ink sat on the couch, crossing his legs in a lotus position and put the child into the improvised crib. He began inspecting him.

To him, everything in the child seemed shocking, unbelievably delicate and cute. Those tiny arms, fingers, legs, ribs and the small, shining soul.

“Ink, your affection will end at a fast pace,” noticed Blue with a grin, who wanted to hold the child as well. But Ink behaved like an obedient guard dog. Someone only had to stretch out their arms towards him, and he would begin to growl. Or rather, talk them out of it, by saying that the child was tired and he didn't need to be carried anywhere, that he was fine like that.

The child didn't look tired in the slightest, he let out an occasional squeak and was trying to look closer at the surroundings. His gaze was curious, clingy, not prickly like his parents’, but just as thoughtful as Error’s.

Dust shuffled near for a while, made sure that the newborn wasn’t pouncing on anyone with tentacles and went to the kitchen, while Dream, on the contrary, sat right up close and concern appeared on his face once again.

“Listen, Ink. This child...are you sure he won’t change the balance in the Multiverse?”

“I thought about that as well,” confessed Ink. “When he was born, Life was there and, by her behaviour, I realised that Radier could become a serious problem for everyone and everything. But he can be a help as well.”

“Are you still hoping to resurrect the tree and force Dreamtale to return? Leave it. It’s like kicking a corpse,” Dream continued to go into denial.

“Well, then I’m a necromancer,” grinned Ink. “This child will help us. Believe it, Dream. I can’t be believing for everyone.”

Blue nudged the keeper of dreams:

“I believe it too. Look, your nephew — a very cute child, he will surely help us. And, hm, probably he’s a hungry child. Maybe we should feed him?”

When Error woke up and didn't find Ink or the child with his gaze, he felt abandoned. Rebooted, even. But no one came.

What did you want? Ink needed the child. For himself and for bringing back Dreamtale. Not him, but the child. And Ink got him.

Error gritted his teeth and forced himself not to think and not remember. After all, all those months were pleasant. He was cared for, like never before, they were always near him, and he never felt lonely.

It all ended. Now everything will be like before…

“Oh! Error! Are you awake?” Ink came into the room and his happy smile dropped a little. “Did something happen?”

Error quickly wiped off the uninvited tears and shook his head:

“Everything is okay. I’m fine,” his gaze immediately latched onto the child. “Give him, I mean, Radier, here.”

Feeling the weight of the tiny skeleton, Error suddenly felt how his nerves, which were just tensed up, relax and foolish thoughts leave his fuming mind. A smile crept onto his face and he pressed the newborn to his chest.

“Did you feed him?”

“We tried to,” the artist was embarrassed. “But my magic is just chemicals, with Blue he was spluttering like you do from tea that’s too sweet, and he refused to take any from Dream.”

Error snorted, imagining the dreamer’s indignation, and shared his magic with the newborn. And the other took in everything he was given. With appetite and smacking his lips. When done, he gave a squeak: more! But then gave a full burp and fell asleep.

It was Error’s turn to be touched. It wasn’t so easy straight after the labour. And now it wasn’t much either, really.

Dust was right. Error was looking at the child with a strange gaze. Tried to find similarity with himself. Found it. But he also found similarity with Nightmare, and that didn't make him happy.

“Oh, leave it,” Ink took the child back and put him onto his crossed legs. “He looks no less like you.”

“He has Nightmare’s power,” Error dumbfounded him.

“Oh!” Ink was surprised about the destroyer knowing it. He wanted to keep those news secret for the time being. “I didn't know you could feel things like that.”

“Even when I was carrying him, I could. Now I have confirmed it.”

“And does it make you upset?”

Error thought about it. No, it didn't make him upset. But neither did it make him happy. It would be good if the child is powerful, no matter what powers he has. But he wanted to have more things in common with the child.

“Everything’s fine. Mainly, he’s healthy.”

“If his appetite’s good, then he’s healthy,” nodded Ink. “For everything else, we can go to Swap Undyne. We can now. Do you feel well?”

Error shrugged, unsure. He felt a light weakness and sleepiness, but also ease. He got up, got dressed and decided that he won’t fall apart on the way.


	19. Warmth 2

Ink didn't drive him out. He didn't hint to him that his role of an incubator was finished and that he was no longer needed. On the contrary, he made him hold the child as often as possible and always made sure that he participated in the care for the little one. He was happy that the black skeleton was worried when he hadn’t seen the child for a while, and when he demanded him.

Error, at first nervously awaiting being dismissed, slowly calmed down and began to relax. He entered this new phase of his life with warm feelings.

And the child really was adorable.

He tried to repeat it, when it seemed to him that Radier was more like Nightmare than him. It helped. Though, not always. It was as if Ink sensed when he had to leave the roommate on his own. He would take Radier with him and leave for half an hour. During that time, Error calmed down and went downstairs himself, joining in looking after the child.

But Ink wasn’t always the one who was with Error. Guarding universes was a lot of work, after all. Blue or Dust eagerly made company for Error and fussed around the child with no less enthusiasm than Ink, never stopping to be touched how Radier spins his little legs or how he stretches his hands to his dad.

Only Dream continued to keep away from his nephew. Sometimes, he stayed with Error too, but showed no desire to hold the child. He would give the destroyer a distraught look. He would say: “If you need anything, call out.” and hide in the kitchen.

Error was worried by the dreamer’s distancing. Dream was related to Radier almost as much as Error was.

“I hope he won’t harm you with his behaviour in the future,” the black skeleton addressed the little one in his arms. “No matter how much you talk with that idiot, he never listens to anyone and never learns anything.”

The child cooed, as if agreeing.

In a month, the guardians had done a lot of work. Firstly, they combed through Error’s part of the Void and looked through his collection of puppets. They were horrified by the number of sins he had done, but decided not to judge. Not after everything that had happened. Not after Error had gotten onto the step of reformation.

To their surprise, they didn't find a puppet of Virus.

“Then his universe is a new one,” Ink decided.

“Are you sure?” Blue was fearlessly playing with the puppets which had a horrible filling. The dust that fell from them didn't put him off.

“Blue, ew, put down that gross thing,” Dream inspected the puppets in his friend’s hands and nearly passed out: they were copies of themselves. “Error — the sick bastard. When did he manage to do it!”

Ink looked at the puppets and shrugged:

“Your world couldn’t gain stability immediately. Apparently, Error destroyed it a couple of times. It’s harder with Blue.”

“Yeah, there’s lots that are like me,” clarified the young guardian.

Ink pulled out a puppet of himself out of a web of strings and mercilessly tore its head off. Instead of dust, he found a mess of blue strings inside.

“He won against me a few times. But I’m not sure he knows of my ability to resurrect.” the guardian shivered. The old puppet fell on the floor and the strings inside fell out of it. “Let’s go back.”

“Are you really afraid that Dust will teach the child bad things?” laughed Blue.

“No,” Ink took the dusty puppets out of the young guardian’s hands and threw them further away. “But those guys’ imagination can go a long way.”

“Yeah, last time they fed Radier my brother’s honey,” grinned Blue.

“And he liked it,” grimaced Ink, who remembered something about that kind of thing being too early for newborns. Though, he couldn't recall what type of newborns it was too early for.

Not much has changed in their life.

Error and Ink continued living in one room, sleeping in the same bed, they woke up from the child fussing in his crib, they took turns in getting up and took turns, or together, to care for the baby bones. All in all, they led the life of a family couple. While not being one.

Ink regretted that.

All of his friends knew of his strange attraction to the black skeleton. Therefore, they asked no questions. They believed that Ink can, if not love, then make the other love him. He had all the chances to domesticate Error and do two good things at the same time. The first — rid the worlds from the threat of destruction. The second — give Error more of something that he already had. Ink had already begun to implement the latter.

Of course, there was one problem. And it made itself known a month after Radier’s arrival.

Error started hearing voices that encouraged him to do strange things. Also his magic was returning to being stable, even though he fed the majority of it to the child.

Once, upon returning home, Ink walked in on Error talking to himself. Not with the child, but with some people that Ink didn't see. And what frightened him was that Radier seemed to be hearing them as well. Though, more truthfully, he was kicking out with his legs and cooing, playing along to his father’s rambling.

All of this indicated that Error could break loose and be on the path to being a world destroyer again.

“Error?”

The black skeleton twitched and met Ink with a light smile.

“Hello! Dust had just left. He said that me talking with the voices distressed him. What about you?”

Ink didn't hear the voices that tormented Error. Creators didn't address him directly. They provided him with paint and could occasionally appear in his dreams. Therefore, the guardian didn't know whether they really talked with the destroyer, or the voices in his head was just a sign of madness.

“It depends on what they tell you,” Ink chose a neutral answer.

Error huffed:

“Nothing I would think of.”

“Like?”

“How I treat Radier, you and the situation as a whole. Whether I want to beat up Nightmare. Whether I’m going to destroy worlds…”

“More about the last thing,” Ink left his paintbrush by the door and sat next to Error on the couch. Radier saw his other parent and cooed happily. “Did you miss me, little one? Come to me.”

Error passed the child to the guardian and answered afterwards:

“You wouldn't want that, I know. And I don't want it for now either. But I never said I was going to leave my job. So...maybe in the far future.”

Ink was satisfied by the simple answer and continued to play with the child. He didn't pressure the other, but expressed his apprehension like this:

“It’s your choice, Error. But I hope that you won’t make that choice under the influence of feelings or a situation. And it’s going to be fully made by you, without the participation of the voices.”

“And you will accept any choice I make?” Error didn't believe him.

“Was there ever a time when I didn't accept you with all of your antics?” the artist was surprised. “You were always important and valuable to me. I simply will value you more on my side.”

Error thought about the artist’s words for a minute and suddenly blushed. The words embarrassed him with their sincerity and undertone. He couldn't stop himself from rebooting. When he was back, he felt a hellish unease. To be sitting near his former enemy and trust him with his child suddenly seemed something unrealistic, strange, even frightening. But proper.

“I’m not on your side.”

“But neither are you against me,” Ink warmly smiled and returned the child to "mama". “Thank you for that.”

Suddenly, Error thought that for the sake of being valued more by Ink, he could go to his side.


	20. Parting Words 1

Nightmare and his minions ran about in the Multiverse in the attempt to find a universe where a new nightmare could’ve been born. No matter where Nightmare went, he never felt that power that scared him so much. He didn't even feel anything like it, as if the new rival was hiding. Maybe not as a chance, but for a reason. He’s hiding and waiting for the right moment to strike.

Those thoughts caused Nightmare to worry even more.

“Boss, we’re running through the third hundred of universes now,” panted Killer, but didn't think to stop. He dived into a new portal and stood near the lord of nightmares, looking over a green field and a blue sky.

“I don't feel anything special here either,” Virus was tired of walking and was flying on one of his toothy pets. 

Nightmare tutted shamefully. He, too, couldn't feel even a weak presence of anyone who was like him or Dream.

The thoughts of his brother made him frown even more. In his skull, appeared the thought that his twin would be horrified if he knew what Nightmare had done to Error. If he knew…the lord of nightmares choked from the thought and the memory about the destroyer of universes. He remembered him again: the one who came to him on his own, the one who was caring in his own way, the one who he wanted to have closer than an ally...the one who he tried to flatten with his nobility and killed.

“Let it all burn to Reaper! We’re getting out of here! After a couple of days, we’re going to HELP_tale again.”

Admitting that the activity of the last few months was nothing less than an attempt of distraction from the loss was something that even Nightmare didn't allow himself to do.

Error was shocked at how happy his former enemy looked even without drinking additional paint. Ink held Radier and on his face reigned a light smile, while positive feelings were just about seen in his eyes. And that was a lot, for the guardian was empty. Radier felt gratefulness for the sincerity as well, or why else would he squeal so happily and huddle to Ink more than usual?

“He’s still so little,” the artist held the child under his head and involuntarily rocked him.

“What did you think? He would be born and immediately start running around? He’s only three months old!”

Ink didn't comment. He just stuck out his tongue and was surprised: the child demonstrated his own toxically-orange tongue.

A squeak of affection — and Error joined in to try to make Radier show his tongue again. Only the child was so surprised by his "mama" having five tongues that he forgot to show his in reply, he just cooed happily and stretched out his arms. By the way, Ink was surprised by the tounges as well. He was looking at them with just as much delight.

Dream was standing by the doors of the kitchen and looked at them, at the two skeletons playing joyfully with the child’s little legs. And he felt deprived. He lost the possibility to find something like this. If only he had reacted to the situation differently, if only he had shown the wish to care for his nephew at start, if he hadn’t distanced himself from the situation as a whole, then he could’ve been in Error’s place right now. In his place. For Ink looked so alive and real right now.

“Are you yearning?”

Dream even jumped.

“Blue! My soul nearly jumped out of my chest.”

“Sorry. I just couldn't not notice that you are yearning for lost opportunities.”

Dream was embarrassed by his younger friend’s perspicacity and looked away:

“Is it that obvious?”

“That you and Ink aren't together only because of your and his quirks of conscience? Yes. But you’re right: it’s too late to regret it. Just look at them. They’re happy,” Blue pointed at the happy couple and asked: “Therefore, don’t ruin everything.”

“I’m…”

“I know, you godly dandelion. Premarital sex is a no-no, and you should get a halo and wings as well.”

“Blue! Don’t be sarcastic!”

“I also know that you’re a very contradicting individual who is able to do rash and even scary things. You and Nightmare are twins after all. Only you can hold yourself together better and you think of the consequences,” Dream blushed while Blue continued: “So I ask you to continue thinking of the consequences and not get in Ink’s way while he develops his relationship with Error.”

“Do you think it’s a great idea? Their relationship?”

“Yes. Ink was always a bit obsessed with Error. And Error always saw Ink as an equal. Now he has learned about him from other perspectives and let him get overly close. Ink only has a little way left to go until winning over his arrangement and making him an essential part of his life, most likely forever. And you getting involved right now is not needed at all. Any wrong word can be fatal.”

Dream looked at Blue, who surprised him with his smart words, and said:

“I don't like all of this. Radier’s birth, Ink’s relationship with Error, Error himself. But you're right, I should accept all of this. If not for Ink’s sake, then for mine and my brother’s.”

“That’s right,” Blue gave him a warm smile and put his hands on his friend’s shoulders. “Everything will work out. In four years’ time your nephew will be old enough for us to try it.”

Dream swallowed. Is it really only four years left?

“Yes...of course...I hope that everything will work out…”

“Me too,” then Blue folded his arms on his chest and less optimistically noticed: “Of course, unless your brother conquers a couple more worlds and finds a way to destroy your native universe. Just in case.”

“Well,” swallowed Dream. “If Night finds out about Radier, then he will surely try hard to erase Dreamtale. Just in case. While he’s unaware of his son’s existence, we’re safe.”

The guardians shared a worried look and peeked out into the living room from the kitchen where Ink and Error continued to fuss with the child. 

He mustn’t find out!

Suddenly, Ink jumped up and exclaimed:

“Nightmare is in HELP_tale again. The lock on it was broken like a thin chain.”

Blue and Dream glanced at each other: speak of the devil. They started getting ready for the journey.

“I’m beginning to suspect that Virus isn’t that simple,” said Error, holding the child in a more comfortable position and escorting the guardians to the open portal. “Even I need time to work out the code of your defences, and getting around it needs lots of power”.”

“Well, maybe he’s only good at that, like Digi for instance. But Digi can’t exist outside of his universe, so he’s useless to Night,” offered Ink.

“Maybe,” agreed Error. “But be careful just in case.”

The child in his arms stretched his hands out to Ink, whom he saw as his other parent, and cooed something. Ink affectionately kissed the child on his forehead and couldn't hold back from another kiss, but this time for Error. Not waiting for a reaction, he jumped into the portal:

“See you soon!”

The other guardians followed him.

Error rubbed his cheekbone, held the child more comfortably and returned to his room. He needed to feed Radier and put him to sleep. He’ll figure out Ink later...if he will want to.

“Rainbow idiot!...keep yourself safe.”


	21. Tragedy

The guardians made it to HELP_tale at the exact moment as Virus reached the universe’s code and was ready to inflict his code into its core, which would lead to a crash and reset.

“Stop right there!” Ink pounced with lightning speed. First he’s by the portal, then right in the centre of the enemy’s camp. A swing of his brush — and they were thrown back like kittens.

But Nightmare wasn’t seen as one of the strongest Sanses for nothing. He blocked the hit with his tentacles, while managing to reach Ink with another one and trailing it on his shoulder.

The injured artist stepped back, but Dream immediately replaced him. In the gloom of the dark world arrow tips burst into light. Two went into a shield, but one cut off a tentacle.

Meanwhile, Blue was busy with Killer, who had the opportunity to shorten the team of guardians by one member. Only he didn't consider that the younger skeleton could hit him in weak spots so sneakily and that he has the acrobatics of a ninja. In their time, Ink and Dream encouraged Blue to train not only in his universe, but somewhere more tougher as well. He didn't have time to get tired, Dream took his place again. And Ink, having restored himself, returned to attacking Night.

Only Virus wasn’t participating in the battle. He continued to embed his foreign code.

The guardians already knew that if they were to attack him now, all of their attacks would break on his shield, created by his pets. They wouldn't have time to get back in order and the nightmare would get the opportunity to get at them. So Ink proposed a different tactic. First pounce on Nightmare and Killer and, only after weakening them, get busy with Virus.

But that was a risk. If Virus manages to reset the world then Nightmare’s power will noticeably increase and they will have to retreat. Because of that, the guardians were rushing.

They craftily took each other’s places, tiring out their enemies and not letting them get used to single types of attacks. Finally, the tactic gave its results. Another arrow met its target. This time it was Killer.

The murderer didn't let himself fall, only tutted. He tore the arrow out of his hip and, uncaring about the flowing blood, tried to even out his chances and threw a knife at Blue. And if Ink hadn’t seen that maneuver and didn't teleport to Blue, then the young guardian would’ve been on the ground leaking with blood.

Dream sent another couple of arrows, but this time not at his brother, but at Virus. Both hit the shield and broke through it.

Virus tutted. He hadn't finished invading the world’s system and had no right to stop now.

“Forth!”

Three spheres with teeth launched themselves onto the guardians and occupied them for some time. Or rather, they occupied Ink and Dream, who took the nightmares for themselves. Blue successfully sneaked up to Virus and nearly reached him with a bone attack.

Virus couldn't do anything except break away and dodge the attack.

Nightmare cursed:

“We’re leaving!”

They had to think their plan through better next time.

The nightmares left and the guardians were ready to celebrate victory. Only Ink bent down suspiciously and his smile turned out to be pained.

“Sorry, guys,” he had managed to save Blue...by putting himself in front of him.

The handle of Killer’s knife was sticking out of his chest. His legs gave away, and Ink started to fall. He didn't reach the ground, the others caught him.

“We need to take him home!” squeaked Blue, frightened by the amount of black blood. It flowed from bones, soaked into the clothes and dripped on the ground.

“No!” said Ink in a voice that was growing weaker. “We shouldn't scare Error.”

Dream silently picked up his friend into his arms and took him into his universe. Blue hurried behind them.

Ink’s consciousness was swimming, he had missed the moment when he was laid down on a cover on the floor with great caution, he didn't feel how his clothes were ripped off him. But he heard the terrified gasp from his friends. The knife had broken through his sternum and cut through his spine. The wound was horrifying, fatal for most, but Ink was strong, could he manage it? Mainly, he needed healing paint.

Blue sobbed. The paint wasn't doing much. The poison from the knife was already on Ink’s bones. Black stains were mixing with the tattoos on the body, twining around like tiny snakes.

“All’s bad,” understood the guardian of alternative universes, reading the doom on his friends’ faces.

“Yes,” confessed Dream. “Your body is trying to finish you off as fast as possible by letting the poison spread with terrifying speed.”

“In moments like this, I hate my anatomy,” Ink managed to give a weak smile. It was getting painful for him to breathe. “Well, you know what to do then.”

He saw how his friends shared a look full of terror. Then they turn away from each other and have to do something they loathe.

“I’m sorry,” whispered Ink and closed his eyes.

Blue hurried to take his dying friend’s hands into his, squeeze them in a calming gesture and turned his head away, trying to concentrate his gaze on a wall. While Dream, with a painful decision, put Ink’s head on his knees. As if soothing him, stroked him a few times with his hand, then grabbed his head and sharply turned it right. 

A crack of shattering bones rang out, and a barely audible painful sob, then Ink’s body slowly turned into a puddle of ink.

Both guardians were looking at the puddle with identical sorrow.

“It’s my fault,” sobbed Blue. “That knife was meant for me.”

“Then be happy that it didn't hit you. The last time when you were dying, we had to apply all of our power for you to return,” the guardian’s voice was hoarse, breaking past the bitter lump in his throat with difficulty.

“I’m sorry,” Blue couldn't hold himself together and burst into tears, he was shaking, swallowed his tears and continued to sit in the puddle of ink.

Dream wasn’t in any hurry to get up. Those moments weren't easy for him. He didn't even want to remember the first one. Ink was paralyzed then, and healing paint wasn't helping either. Ink was in so much pain that he couldn't hold back from screaming. And his request was powered by the wish to rid himself of suffering as quickly as possible. He didn't think of the hit he was giving to Dream’s mentality. He only found out when he returned. “Oh, I forgot to warn you: I’m immortal” he said then. And he was very surprised by the sight of his usually positive friend looking so tortured and depressed, who wanted to strangle him afterwards.

“Don't worry, he’ll forgive you and, most likely, doesn't even blame you. We should probably think about ways of breaking the news about Ink to Error.”

Blue let out a squeak and understood that he didn't want to be the one who tells those news. Dream shared that wish with him, but was ready to take the responsibility onto himself.

“Wait a minute,” he remembered one detail, once he got up off the floor, “doesn't he know that Ink is immortal? Or does he?”

This matter suddenly became harder.

“It seems that he doesn't,” Blue started shaking more. “Otherwise he wouldn't be so worried about him. Oh, Dream. Maybe we shouldn't tell him? Ink could return in three days.”

“And maybe in a month. We have to tell him. Stars! How lousy!”

A portal to Ink’s house opened but the guardians still couldn't decide to go in. They clenched their teeth, deeply breathed in and decided not to hide from fate. It’s pointless to try to run from it.

Error felt worry. Unknown anxiety that couldn't form into something specific. And he was happy from the sight of an opened portal. Then was surprised that no one came out of it for a long time, and was even more surprised to see only two out of three guardians.

“Where’s Radier?” asked a nervous Dream.

“At least you remember his name. He’s asleep upstairs,” snapped Error habitually, and only then he turned his attention to the sight of the guardians. They were both dirtied by Ink’s ink. Blue looked down at the floor and tried to act like he was invisible. But his eye sockets that were reddened from tears spoke louder than words. Dream was clasping and unclasping his hands, as if trying to grasp something invisible. He looked away, his gaze full of fear and sadness. You don't get good news with a sight like that.

“Sit down, Error.”

Error obediently sat on the couch and felt his soul beating against his ribs. He hadn't heard a word from Dream about what has happened, but already paled, nearly matching his son’s colour. His eyelights wavered. And in his head was one thought: I don't want to know.

“Error?!”

Dream saw how the black skeleton’s body was draped with a curtain of glitches, and, because of them, Error himself wasn’t visible. The black skeleton went into a long reboot, not having found anything out.


	22. Immortal

Ink resurrected the next day — his personal record. And, finding his friends walking in circles around the statue of Error, he didn't understand what had happened straight away.

“We didn't have time to say anything, he just froze suddenly!” sobbed Blue.

Dream held Radier in his arms. The keeper of dreams was so tense and tired that he clearly didn't react to the child’s negative pressure. He was rocking him mechanically and kept saying that his dad was going to be okay. Radier didn't believe him, he was stretching his hands out to his frozen parent and whimpering.

“Oh stars!”

Ink literally threw himself onto Error, hung on his neck, looked into his eyes. But he couldn't see flickers of consciousness behind the ‘error’ signs. He drank some ‘care’ and called him as gently as he could:

“Error, it’s time to wake up. You had a bad dream. But everything is okay now. I’m here. I’m with you.”

His words, like drifting ice, broke through the shell of glitches and made Error to partly come back. He focused his half-blind eyes on the artist with great difficulty.

“Ink?!” his voice was glitching horribly.

“Quiet. Quiet. I’m okay. Not one scratch. It was just a nightmare. Another scary dream, no more than that.”

Error believed him. And the amount of glitches on his body slowly reduced to the usual minimum. The exhausted destroyer, relieved, relaxed in the guardian’s arms, almost falling asleep, then suddenly looked startled and moved his gaze at the child:

“How long was I frozen up for? Radier!” he quickly took the child into his arms. “Have you fed him?”

Radier was so happy, about his parent returning from a stupor, that he clung onto him like a little monkey and didn't want to let go until he had eaten and fallen asleep. When the child was put into his crib, everyone gathered in the living room for a serious talk.

“Error, you should know something about me,” Ink began. “When we were enemies, I made sure to guard this secret, as I was afraid that it would be used against me. But now that our relationship is...different, I should tell you. I share this with you because I’m afraid to hurt you and frighten you even more,” he breathed in deeply and said: “I’m immortal.”

In reply, he got laughter. But it was only Error laughing. Dream and Blue made strange faces, as if in pain. Slowly, the laughter died away and Error asked:

“You’re not serious?”

“I am,” smiled Ink. “I can’t be killed. Well, I can be killed, but after a couple of days, maybe more, I would return. You remember, when you went rather hard on me. You rid me of my arms, legs, nailed me down with bones and left me to die?”

Error remembered and was embarrassed by how simply Ink laid out that picture.

“Yes, I was surprised that you survived then.”

“I didn’t survive,” admitted the guardian with the same friendly expression on his face. “And if you had stayed on the battlefield for a bit longer, you would’ve seen my death.”

The black skeleton was embarrassed even more. He left back then exactly because he didn't want to see him die. He even regretted that he took it that far and thought that, if he left, the guardian would magically resurrect and leave. To be honest, that’s what Error thought when he hadn’t found Ink on the battlefield an hour later.

Noticing how Error darkened, and seeing the woe on his face, Ink calmed him down:

“I’m not angry, Error. My job obliges to risk a lot of things. And I often died from far sillier things than fighting with you. For instance, once I had too much to drink at a party and fell out of a window. Another time I had to walk for so long round Snowtale that I got lost, got tired and fell asleep in the snow. I froze to death. And once a shark ate me. But the peak of silly deaths was the moment when I decided to completely lose it and drank the whole vial of yellow paint.”

Realising that Error didn't understand what’s so terrible about that, Dream explained:

“He laughed until his pulse gave out. He literally died from laughter. With a terrible smile on his face.”

“Once you died from a cold,” said Blue, who was silent before.

“That was one epic sneeze,” grinned Ink.

“Not more epic than that time when you stepped on a rusty nail.”

“Did you step on it with your head or something?” Error didn't understand. How can you die from something like that?

Ink became embarrassed and explained another thing:

“My body can be rather unfair in terms of fighting. It’s easier for it to give in to any disease or injury than try to heal itself. From my body’s perspective, I shouldn't waste time on any excess self-care and die as quickly as possible so that I would be reborn all renewed. Therefore that nail killed me quickly, but it was terribly painful. And, stars, how stupid it was.”

Ink laughed but his friends didn't uphold the fun. Blue squinted and shook his head. Dream looked away for some reason. Ink noticed their reaction and suddenly slumped. He felt uncomfortable and, when the sound of the child crying drifted from upstairs, he was the first to get up and go to him.

Error was still mulling the things he heard in his head, and the recent reboot wasn’t the best shape for him to be in. He felt slow and a bit drunk. Somewhere, in the back of his head, buzzed the Creators’ voices. He wanted to ask them if they were aware of Ink’s immortality and why didn't they tell him that?!

The black skeleton looked at Blue and Dream in search of answers. And he noticed that they looked too tense for someone who met a friend from the other world.

“Why are you so nervous? You should be happy: your friend is immortal. As if that disgusts you!” grimaced Error. He didn't expect Blue to burst into tears and run back to his universe, and Dream to be so ticked off:

“You just don't understand what it’s like: to see him suffer! You don't see how it happens. How he asks to kill him! You don't understand how we feel, time after time ending his suffering, and then smiling at him as if nothing ever happened! You wouldn't understand how the hands, which broke his neck literally a couple of days ago, are shaking, how hard it is not to choke on the guilt and how horrible it is to understand that this death isn’t the last one. Error, you don't understand how painful it is to be his friend. And to love him is even more painful.”

Dream flinched, as if slapped, and dropped his gaze. He understood that he shouldn't have said the last thing. He breathed in deeply and decided to follow the younger team member. 

“I’m sorry, I think I should go as well.”

Error was left alone at the table, with new discoveries.

He already knew that the team of protectors of the Multiverse wasn’t sinless and not as innocent as he thought. But every new fact hit him like a sack of sand. Immortal Ink and his friends, who mercifully break his neck when things are bad. It all had a hard time settling in his mind.

And he didn't want to think about it now anyway.

Error stood up and went up to his bedroom. He sat near Ink, smiled at sleeping Radier in his arms and, unexpectedly even for himself, hugged the artist. He dropped his forehead onto his shoulder, convincing himself: Ink was alive. He’ll live, even if he dies. He won’t leave him.


	23. Temptation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is NSFW.

Since that day, they had to fight off Nightmare’s attacks on HELP_tale thrice more. And only after three defeats in a row, the octopus changed his tactic. He chose a different world for getting negative energy. Underworld wasn't a rainbow-coloured place either, and it could be reset as well. Though, in contrast to HELP_tale, events there happened way slower and the collection of negativity took a week.

On one hand, it’s a minus for Nightmare, on the other — a plus. The guardians couldn't just guard one world for a week. Other alternative universes needed them too. But they could come there from time to time and chase the nightmares away from their “feeder”.

The war went into a lingering phase.

In it continued the relationship between Ink and Error.

Ink felt the need to move their relationship further as quickly as possible. But every time, he closed his mouth and held himself together when he wanted to say or do something illicit. And he waited, hoping to move from hugs and kisses to more active and pleasant actions. But the belief, that Error wasn't ready for something like that yet, held him back. Until…

“Are you sure you can handle him?”

“Yes, don't worry!” snorted Dust, passing the child to Blue. “There’s two of us, one of him. If anything, Papyrus is there too. So take some rest!”

Error waved him away. The idea to have some rest from the child belonged to the young guardian. And Error took it favourably. He loved his son, but completely stopped getting enough sleep with him. And he was exhausted by the need of eternally being a nanny and a feeding machine. But now, when Radier started snacking on chair legs (his first tooth appeared), he didn't need Error’s energy as much as before. So a babysitter with a jar of baby food suited him.

“And don't forget to keep a torch handy,” instructed the parent, “the little one always tried to crawl away and sit in darker places. You won't find him!”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah! I’ll manage!”

Escorting the babysitters and his son into the portal, Error, finally, could rest.

Only how? He was so used to the child deciding when he was to get up and lie down and he was at a bit of a loss. He decided to go to his room, read and have a sleep.

Not looking, he took a book off a shelf and went up to his room. He laid down and began to read. And only a couple of pages later, he understood that he had made a mistake with the genre. Only two pages — and before him was the description of a hot and energetic scene between two lovers. The description bewitched him. With every line read, a fire seemed to burn inside him. With tongues of flame, it licked his bones with the ferocity of a passionate lover. A wish, to be in the place of the main character and experience the description for real, appeared. To enjoy someone else’s warmth and his own bliss completely.

His body replied to the desire with a wave of heat, which concentrated in his soul and between his legs.

Error became embarrassed and put the book to the side. He never led an active sexual life, which was understandable, considering his phobia. After Nightmare, he thought that he would never want more. But now there was this setup.

His body asked for a discharge.

Timidly, the black skeleton put one hand between his legs, the other on his ribs, touching the sensitive edges. Barely audibly moaned, agreeing with his body’s wish. He spread his legs wider and gave in to the lust. He moaned, arched his back, drooled from the pleasure and still couldn't reach the peak. Continued to increase and increase the pace. He touched, squeezed, rubbed, stroked till ecstasy. And he wished for more, right now, immediately someone under him, or even over him, but someone able to satisfy his carnal hunger. And his imagination created this intimate someone, which, for some reason, took the familiar shape of the guardian of worlds. His tattoo-covered body, delicate features, smooth bones, playfully shape-changing eyelights. Seemingly innocent, actually vicious, he would’ve looked ideal on black bed sheets. With legs spread, with a gaze that begged for more…

Error moaned his name, continued to imagine him and still couldn't extinguish the burning flame.

He didn't know that Ink returned home from his patrol and was standing behind the slightly opened door. He was watching through a crack, getting aroused and swallowing. He held himself together, going against the wish to join the steamy spectacle. He was wavering for so long that he missed the moment and heard how Error finished with a long and passionate scream.

“Oh stars, that was hot,” Ink stepped back and hurried into the bathroom. Now the flame was burning inside him as well.

Error quickly got rid of the evidence of a time spent well and grabbed his head. He just mastrubated to Ink. To, damn him, Ink! It was so unbelievable and terrible that he rebooted.

Why him? Ink wasn't some kind of Lust to bring out the wish with an exotic dance. Because they sleep in the same bed for more than a year and he was used to feeling him close to himself. He was used to touching him.

A realisation shocked Error: he understood that he wants not only Ink’s warmth and care, but...Ink himself. His body, his soul, which he didn't have. Make him as dependent on him as he had become.

Only the thought of actually getting into bed with him for something more exciting than sleep evoked trembling from his bones. No, Error wasn't ready yet.

“Dammit! Will I ever be ready at all?!”

He didn't know that Ink had already come up with a plan a long time ago, to help him overcome his fear. And Ink planned to carry out that plan without him knowing. The main thing was to ask Dream for help.

The keeper of dreams agreed, with a smile full of sadness.

Radier returned home in the evening. As happy as a little bear cub. And why not? He got so much attention from kind monsters. And he got to hit all of them with rattles and bite their ankles.

His snacking was diversified with the living flesh of the skeleton brothers. Papyrus, after the third bite, decided to seek refuge at Muffet’s. Dust couldn't take it for long either and went to find Papyrus, and then stayed to drink with him. So Blue got the most of the bitings.

“That little rascal,” the young skeleton didn't hide his irritation, “it was as if he got pleasure out of how much we suffered! And you were right, I couldn't find him for a long time without a torch. What does he do, learn to move on the ceiling? I don't understand how he got onto the wardrobe!”

Error only laughed at this:

“What did you expect from the little nightmare?”

Radier didn't bite him. And he was fine with Ink as well. Except that he hid in dark places too. Which, admittedly, often caused problems.

Radier showed his single tooth and happily cooed and gurgled, talking about how tasty the Swaps’ legs are and how much dust there is on their wardrobes. Being very tired after a long day, he fell asleep quickly and gave Ink the chance to carry out his cunning plan.


	24. Not The Right One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is NSFW.

Ink, slightly puzzled, looked around the room he appeared in. A classy apartment with a bed no less classy in the middle of it. All was in sunny and sky-blue hues. Aromatic candles burned on the table, giving off the smell of roses.

“Dream,” sighed Ink, “you again?”

The keeper of dreams stood by the door and was ingratiatingly looking at his friend. In his hand was a key, which he — oops! — dropped out of the window.

“Were you expecting someone else?”

“And you even know who,” pouted Ink and pointedly folded his arms on his chest.

Dream came right up and pressed to him with his whole body.

“I know. But you’ll get him one day in reality. Don't rid me of sweet dreams. At least, not for today.”

The artist cast his eyes to the ceiling and reminded himself that this was only a dream. He also had to remind himself that this was a dream only for him. But for Dream, dreams weren't something unlike reality.

“You understand that…” the protector dropped his arms in the powerlessness to push the other away.

“I do, Ink,” Dream pressed himself closer and kissed his collarbone. “And I’m not going to get in your way. Let’s say that this is my method to say farewell to our relationship.”

“Sex to say goodbye, ha. You’re impossible,” the guardian of the universes enticed him into a passionate kiss. “Well, then let this dream be a sweet one.”

Ink picked up Dream and pressed him to the wall.

“Hah!” the keeper of dreams gasped with delight. “What do you think I made us a huge bed for?”

“For entourage,” growled Ink and kissed him again. Passionately, forwardly with the desire that kept growing. He didn't hold himself back. Why? They were in each other’s wet dreams for a long time. And if now was the time to break away from such a strange relationship, then it was worth it to do it with ardor.

He didn't take the clothes off, but tore them off, like a hungry predator tearing the skin off an appetizing prey. Ink knew that Dream, regardless of his aura of a princess out of a storybook, hates to cuddle in bed. He needed an animal. And Ink became that animal for him.

He roughly penetrated into the soul that was languishing from pleasure. He muffled his lover’s screams with a kiss. And, for a couple of minutes, he went mad, driving himself into his lover till their bones cracked. He brought pleasure to both of them. Pleasure, that was only allowed in a dream. In reality, the maximum they could give each other were hugs.

“Ah! Ink! More! Yes, faster! Ah! Ink!!! I’m gonna come!!!”

He arched his back, came, and looked at his lover in delight.

Dream loved to feel dominance over himself in dreams…

“My turn,” the owner of the dream caught his breath and smiled craftily.

...and get revenge for it.

This time, the bed came in useful.

Wishing to be fucked hard but, getting dominance, take the approach of a gentle lover — that was Dream. In the leading role, the keeper of dreams was consistent and gentle. He wanted to leave as many pleasant feelings about their last wet dream in his friend’s memory as possible. He got more enjoyment out of the other’s moans than his own. He thought more about his partner than himself.

Ink loved that in him. The predator was domesticated in skillful hands. He arched his back from the caresses, mewled from pleasure and allowed the other to do anything with him.

Afterwards, they were lying on the bed and talked about diverted topics, as if they really were lovers. As if this wasn't a dream. But…

“I’m sad that we can’t be together in reality,” said Dream when he understood that Ink was going to wake up.

“That would be strange,” Ink looked at his friend with a lively gaze of a being that had a soul. But that was only possible in a dream. “We’re friends. Obviously allowing ourselves to do too many things, but friends.”

“Yes. You're right. We’re friends. But did you never really think that we could be something more than that?”

His friend’s words embarrassed Ink:

“Of course I thought that. But I know that it’s impossible and painful. You don't need an empty vessel which you can’t fill up, Dream. You need someone who can fill you up.”

“And who do you need?” The owner of the dream knew the answer but couldn't not ask.

“The one who will accept me,” a gentle smile appeared on Ink’s face. “Equal to me, but opposite. The one that understands me and accepts me not only as a guardian, but also as a terrifying creature from the Void. I need the one with whom I can share the overall pain and loneliness. I need Error.”

Dream understood him. Ink and Error were both made in the same element, and it wasn't surprising that they’re attracted to each other. And it would be better if it were only for fighting.

“Do you love him?”

“If I could, I would. But not being able to, I replace this emotion with the feeling of fulfillment and my full value, when I’m with him. It makes me happy.”

What’s left to say. Dream knew that he wasn't fit to change his friend’s decision, he wasn't fit to become closer to him than he already is, he just had to accept reality and stop getting lost in his sweet dreams. Ink was never with him, he never belonged to him, he always wanted someone else.

“Then I wish you happiness…”

Ink woke up, finding out that he was pressing the sleeping Error to himself during the dream and blushed slightly. He tried to get up as carefully as he could and hurried to seclude himself in the bathroom so that Error didn't notice the indicative stains on his pyjamas: the aftermath of a pleasant time spent in dreams. The thought, that he may have caused Dream pain, didn't leave him. But with that thought, it was as if he understood that this pain was right. And it was better if his friend felt the pain now, than get exasperated later.

Ink was just thinking of going downstairs and making breakfast when he felt that another catastrophe was happening in one of the universes:

“Oh, damn this!”

When Error came out of the room with Radier, who was actively kicking out with his legs, the guardian was gone.

“He’s so restless,” yawned the black skeleton.

“Goo!” affirmed the child and chomped into a teether shaped like a fish. It squeaked in the plea to stop its suffering.

“Alright, let’s find you something more edible.”

Radier had a remarkable appetite. He ate everything. Literally. Edible, non-edible — it didn't matter to him. During the first time trying new food, the little nightmare bit everyone, tried to gnaw on the furniture, drink paint and he even sampled himself. Thankfully, the last thing was only once, and the little one quickly understood that eating himself wasn't an option.

Looking at it, Error began to suspect that his child’s other parent wasn’t Nightmare but Horror, even though he had read that it was normal for children: the teeth were growing.

While the little one was gnawing on a carrot testing his single tooth’s strength, Error made himself a simple breakfast and cooked some porridge for Radier. And only when both had eaten their fill and the youngster went to crawl about on the ground floor (obviously under supervision), Error suddenly realised that he was happy with the life he had now.

He didn't listen to the voices that encouraged him to do yet another stupid thing. Later. When he will completely recover, he could talk to Ink about the purpose of destroying worlds. But not now, when his son was so young, and he still had a while to go until the stability he had before. And it was fine here. He had Radier, friends and Ink.

He was happy with everything. That one wrong step seemed to be a step into the abyss of unknown. And Error couldn't believe, that that something unknown could be something good.

The child suddenly stopped. He saw a cookie on the table, but couldn't reach it: the table was too tall. He leaned to the side, and from behind his back, as if out of nowhere, appeared a shadow. It was dark, and looked a lot like a giant hand with sharp claws. But Error didn't have time to get scared, as the hand pushed the cookie off the table and dissipated. The little one carelessly clapped his hands and chomped into the cookie with the ferocity of a beaver.

Error covered his face with a hand and realised that he needs to get used to the offspring’s tricks like those. And it would be better to do so now. Radier was becoming more powerful every day.


	25. A Talk About Souls

Radier was crawling on the grass by the waterfall under his father’s watchful gaze. Error tried to take the child for a walk as often as possible. It was good for him, and it wasn't comfortable to be at home without Ink.

When the guardians were sure about the black skeleton’s stability, they stopped watching over him and there wasn't a need for babysitters anymore. Though Dust and Blue still visited them often, helped with the child or, on the contrary, let the other have some rest. Ink couldn't allow himself to leave his protector’s duties for a long time and could only be at home in the evenings and early mornings.

Today, when Ink left, came Blue and invited them for some tacos.

Error shrugged and, picking up the main taster in his arms (Radier never refused tacos), and dived into the portal.

“It’s a mystery how Undyne in your universe, whose culinary abilities end on ‘just add water’, and Alphys, whose culinary genius died before it was born, managed to teach you to cook so well,” the destroyer was impressed, biting into the third taco.

Radier was having trouble with his first one. For him, Blue made a more safe child’s version of the dish, as he was worried that he might choke.

“Heh!” said the chef, putting his hands on his hips and answered: “Practice!”

From the couch, a nervous “Nyeh!” came from the taster of the practices from the past. Judging by how the older skeleton’s eye sockets went empty, those times were hard.

A bit later, Blue rushed off for training with a friend, and Error decided to go for a walk with the child. That’s how he appeared by the Waterfall. Only he wasn't the only one: Papyrus tagged along.

Error knew that the taller skeleton wanted to talk with him but didn't have a habit of asking direct questions. So he was silent, enjoying the good weather, the sound of the rushing water and the sight of the little one, who was busy mocking the echo-flower. He goes “coo”, and the other goes “coo”. He says “nyah” and the other gives him a “nyah”.

“Nyeh!” Papyrus put out his cigarette. He, too, was watching the child and worry was flickering on his face. Then he looked at the black skeleton. 

“I didn't think that you’d be a good parent.”

“Are you surprised?” Error wasn't rude, nor snappy. He was honest. “I am.”

“Got it. Then everything is alright?”

“Did you really tag along with us because you wanted to know about my being, Papyrus? Get to the point.”

The tall skeleton sat on the grass near the child and stroked him on the head. Radier looked away from the flower and smiled. Yesterday, another tooth cut through and now he looked like a little vampire.

“Children grow shockingly quick. Just yesterday, Blue was just as little. And I looked after his well-being as much as I could. And I, probably, often wasn’t in the role of a good parent. I left him on his own a lot. Sometimes, I was really tired and couldn't cook anything decent, so I had to feed him fast food. I really was a lousy parent, if I think about it. I was protecting him from the harsh reality for so long, I didn't even notice how my little brother grew up. I was blind, and that nearly killed him,” It was as if Papyrus was confessing a terrible sin. And he couldn't stop. “One day, you arrived and destroyed our seeming happiness. For that, I hate you. You kidnapped my brother.”

Error grimaced, but what could he do: argue, shout, find excuses? He really did kidnap Blue. He really did hold him captive for some time and...didn't kill him. He returned him. That kid in the blue scarf managed to reach his soul.

Papyrus continued:

“When he was back, I was happy. I thought that everything was going to be the same as before, and became blind, again, for I didn't notice, at first, that Blue started remembering resets like me. And if I were to hesitate for another moment, I would’ve lost my brother,” he continued to stroke the child’s head. “I had to let Blue go, so that he didn't go mad. Actually gave him into Dream and Ink’s care.”

“Let me guess. You hate them as well, for they gave Blue something that you weren't able to give him?” Error didn't want to be rude to the skeleton that had something against him and whose house visits Radier. But he couldn't hold back.

Papyrus didn't answer with rudeness. But he got up and went away from Radier, who began to munch on flowers. 

“I have reasons not to like them. But they helped Blue. He really grew up. He became a strong and confident monster. Sometimes he came back scared or crying, but always found the strength to continue the difficult job of a guardian. With that, he earned my respect. I don't just love my brother, I respect him.”

“And that’s why it was easy for him to talk you into letting Dust live with you?”

Papyrus grinned.

“He just put the fact before me. And only after a month did he tell me what had happened with that guy. Honestly, when I found out, I almost passed out: a mad psychopath was living with us. But, after talking with Dust, I frankly realised what a hit Blue took and how much those two help each other.”

Error resisted the temptation to hit himself on the forehead:

“And why are you telling me all of this?”

“Dunno,” shrugged Papyrus. “Maybe I just wanted to get it all out. And I really wanted to see you in the role of a father. And you know what?” on his face appeared a sly grin.

“What?” Error already didn't like the answer.

“I don't recognize you. And that’s good. Like Blue, you became stronger. It’s true, whatever doesn't kill us makes us stronger.”

With that, Papyrus waved his hand in farewell and teleported. And Error tried to understand the reason behind the monologue for a couple more minutes, and then decided that it was time to go back as well.

“Let’s go, little one. It’s time for dinner.”

Error hurried to get home, not knowing anything about Ink’s plan, which he was going to carry out tonight. And this time without surprises that looked like Dream.


	26. Sweet Dreams

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is NSFW.

The evening began, as usual, with dinner then ended with putting the child to bed. And then Error couldn't tell what happened afterwards. For some reason, Ink stayed in the living room, and Error went downstairs for him.

And what happened there became a completely unpleasant surprise for him.

“Ink, are you going to sleep?” the black skeleton asked Ink, who was sitting on the couch.

“Maybe we could do something more interesting than sleep?” came the question in reply. And at the start, Error couldn't understand the meaning of the question. But when the guardian continued… “I know that you want fuck me.”

Ink burned Error with a hungry gaze. He got up and walked towards him. 

“What, sorry???” Error thought that he had misheard or he didn't get the joke. Whatever was happening, it didn't seem realistic.

“Well, you were caressing yourself so furiously and were moaning my name like that, I thought that you weren't against making your fantasies a reality,” the guardian was three paces away from the black skeleton and continued to sear him with a lustful gaze.

Error blushed deeply. He couldn't even think that someone could’ve seen him then. Especially Ink. Oh stars, he heard him! He heard how he was calling his name in his fantasies! Then his question was understandable. Only he didn't know if Ink was seriously proposing to have sex or was he going to clap his hands and say: it’s a joke!

“Are you serious?”

“No, Error. I’m kidding,” Ink did say it’s a joke. Only his tone came out irritated and disapproving. Asking to be taken seriously. “Actually, I haven’t had sex for a long time.”

“That’s not my problem,” the black skeleton took a few steps back and even hugged himself in an attempt of self-defence.

“M? Error? I’m not going to force you, stars!” Ink backtracked. "I'm sorry if my offer seemed too sudden. I just thought that we could help each other in this. We're not strangers after all. We're raising a child, sharing a house, and, in general, you're good-looking. And your moans…" Ink's eyes went through a dozen symbols and he looked dreamy. "Oh, it was very arousing. I couldn't calm down for a long time. Hah! That hasn't happened to me for a long time. You know, usually I have to take pink paint to get excited like that. So I'm impressed and anticipated."

Error became even more embarrassed. Yes, dammit, he was right. They sleep in the same bed, raise the same child, and the destroyer trusts him enough to become closer and trust him more. But in his head, sex continued to associate with torture, and he wasn't ready to let someone else to dominate over his body. Though, if he was the one dominating…

Error threw a long, intent look at Ink. He thought the idea to be stupid. He has managed to turn his life into who-knows-what without it. And to make the situation worse by having a sexual relationship with the protector of universes would be very idiotic. But Ink didn't look off-putting from a physical point of view, but pleasant. The tattoos and his elegant movements made him attractive.

"You'll be bottoming," he said before realising it.

"Alright," Ink agreed hurriedly. "Only be gentle. I'm not a fan of unneeded pain. Okay?'

"No problem. But you be careful with touching. Or you'll ruin the mood."

Error swallowed. Until the last second, he hoped to hear that it was a joke, or that Ink would refuse, thinking that bottoming would be humiliating. But no, instead, the guardian smiled and began to undress, while Error watched him shamelessly. And Ink noticed it.

"Do you like me?"

Error didn't answer. He only cast his eyes at the ceiling, and, when he looked down again, surprisingly saw his future lover on the carpet in an erotic pose. Even beckoning him with his finger, the bastard!

The black skeleton slowly approached the naked figure, sat near on his knees and reached out, lightly touching the shoulder bones. He lowered his hand, trailing a line from the chest to the hips, stroked them, which brought forth a moan that was pleasant to the ears.

He needed to get used to this, he needed to explore the open spaces. And he stroked, kissed, bit down, squeezed, which brought his partner ecstasy. Ink moaned loudly, burning from desire, but didn't dare to return the touching: he followed the rules. Stars, he felt so good!

Error raised himself above Ink, on whom he had managed to lie down on in the process of caresses, and realised that he was lost. Turned on, with face burning from lust, shivering with impatience, Ink looked maddeningly overwhelming.

Error undressed in a wild frenzy.

The magic easily slid into the slightly wet space between the pelvic bones and Ink moaned in bliss. He concentrated and forced his magic to contract, creating a tightness that was comfortable for both of them. He smiled and hugged his partner with his legs, helping him get a better angle.

"Be bolder," he whispered, and moved forward, forcing him to make the first thrust.

Moans filled the room and spread out beyond it.

Error got scared that they'll wake up Radier and shut his lover up with a kiss. He felt how sharp fingers scratch his back, how Ink's legs are pressing around him, how he was suffocating from the sensations and losing the last drops of self-control.

He started to move faster, till his bones cramped. He felt how his clawed back was bleeding, how Ink was shaking beneath him, he heard his pleas not to stop. He continued to moan louder, driving into his partner who was going mad from ecstasy and tried to put off the desire to come for as long as possible. But even the sweetest of dreams end. This one wasn't an exception.

The body beneath him arched. A voluptuous scream finished the dance of the two bodies. And…

Error woke up. He opened his eyes and realised that the heated dream made him leave a few shameful stains on the sheets. And he was sweating, as if he had just done a cross country run. His throat was dry.

What, where, how, why? It was just a dream?

The black skeleton looked at Ink, who continued to sleep, and thought that he didn't see the dream where he was twisting under his former enemy.

Error swallowed. As if by own accord, his hand slid onto the white bones and trailed down from the neck, comparing the sensations from the dream to reality.

Nothing bad would happen if the dream happened in reality, right? He doubted that Ink would refuse.

His hand reached the pelvis and stopped. His body unwillingly shook from memories. Not so sharp and painful anymore, but still traumatic.

Dreams aren't a reality. And no matter how sweet his dreams were, he knew that his injuries still hadn't healed.

Error shook his head, casting away the memories of the dream and got up. Radier was still asleep, so Error planned to make breakfast for everyone. He didn't see how Ink lights up his eyelights and gives a sad sigh.

Dreams like those began to repeat. Dreams that were hot, greedy, embarrassing and made him lose control. But Error didn't mind, those were only dreams, right? They aren't meant to affect their relationship in reality. That's how it went, until one time.

That dream was especially bright, arousing and made his blood boil. And Error lost the boundary between dreams and reality, because when he woke up, he almost continued doing what he was doing in his dream. He laid on top of Ink and kissed him.

Only after a moment did he understand what a stupid thing he had done. He ran into the bathroom, and took a cold shower.

"Right, it's time to stop this nonsense!" He decided.

The protector of the worlds went downstairs, yawning and smiling, not noticing the gloomy destroyer at first, who was waiting for him to have a talk.

Error was looking at Ink like a mother who found porn magazines under her son's bed. From his gaze, Ink felt uneasy, as if it wasn't magazines under his bed, but Lust himself.

"Ink," his tone didn't promise a pleasant conversation either, "I would ask you to stop."

The guardian blushed. He didn't even have to drink embarrassment to feel how the guilt was pressing onto him.

"When did you realise?"

Error grit his teeth and nodded:

"In the second dream. I don't usually dream of things like that. And I don't think I should after Nightmare."

"Don't you like it?" Ink was shuffling from foot to foot, not knowing what to do. "I thought that you did."

"I'm not Dream," his words hit like a whip. "It's not my kind of thing to get lost in dreams, rainbow asshole!"

"But you aren't ready for something like that in reality. I thought that…"

"That you could tie me to yourself even more if I get used to sleeping with you in dreams, and that I won't notice how we'll start doing it in reality?" In the destroyer's eyes, a dangerous fire sparked.

Ink put out his hands in a protective gesture and shook his head:

"Stop! That is too much! Yes, I would want to have sex with you. And yes, I do think that it would make us closer. But, Error, I was never going to use you, intoxicate you and make you lose yourself between dreams and reality," he put out his eyelights and turned away. "I'm sorry if I went too far. I only thought to show you that a relationship like that could be pleasant, and should be like that. I thought that it could help us. But it was so good to dream about something like that with you that I got caught up in it. I'm sorry, Error. I never wanted to cause you any harm."

Error was still staring at his would-be lover with eyes that burned with fury, but quickly calmed down and waved a hand at him:

"Fine, let's say that you went too far. But no more erotic dreams!"

"I promise," Ink suddenly smiled ingratiatingly and came right up to him. "So you're not angry?"

"If you'll try and hug me, I won't sleep in the same bed with you anymore."

The threat worked, and Ink stepped back. Only Error regretted not going already into the other room the next night.

No, there were no erotic dreams sent by Dream. But the ones not sent by him — plenty.

The next night, Error woke up with a head full of lewd thoughts and with the realisation that his magical organ was ready to go and pressing into Ink's leg, which Error caught with his own legs, like in a trap. The guardian himself was pressed to him with his whole body and was...sleeping!

"Holy shit," the black skeleton hadn't felt so foolish in a long time.


	27. The Little Mischef-maker

Nightmare woke up from the feeling like a bucket of ice-cold water was poured over him.

Sharply jumping up from his bed, he realised that his goop had come off him. He was surprised by his deep, heavy breathing and soul beating loudly. He was scared. He had a nightmare. The lord of nightmares had a nightmare? Is that even possible? Turns out, yes.

Having somewhat moderated his emotions, Night was covered by a layer of negativity again, pulled the wet bedding off his bed and sat on the bare mattress. He realised that the one, that had appeared earlier but wasn't found, became more powerful. So powerful, that he had managed to send nightmares to the lord of nightmares himself.

Nightmare tried to remember the dream as much as he could. But he couldn't. The picture was swimming before his eyes, as if he was looking at it from underwater. He couldn't make out what was the dream about, nor who was in it. And yet there was someone! And that someone was small. About the size of a cat or a dog. He had big bright eyes that were full of curiosity.

"Maybe it was a child?"

Thinking about it, Nightmare came to the outcome that an option like that was possible. An adult would've fully explored the boundaries of the power. But if a new nightmare was born recently then it wasn't a surprise that Night couldn't sense him. The child was just too young and didn't know how to use his powers.

"Now what? Do we have to look into every single crib?"

Night even felt distorted from looking at it from that perspective.

In any case, he had to wait for that unknown one to grow up and start testing his powers left and right. Then it will be easier to find and catch him. And, only then, decide that wretch's fate.

With those thoughts, he laid back down on the bed.

At that moment, Raider woke up. His eyes lit up like two different-coloured candles: one yellow, one purple. The light flickered on his sheets. The rack on the side of his bed threw a scary shadow on the wall, but Radier wasn't scared. He didn't get scared at anything, and always laughed in the face of fear.

His parents were asleep and didn't know that he was up to another trick, of which there had been a lot of in the last months.

Shadows gathered behind Radier's back and two more arms appeared as if out of nowhere. With their help, it didn't cost him anything to climb out of his bed. Next, it was a matter of technique: soundlessly walk to the door, soundlessly open it and just as silently go downstairs, helping with the shadows, as the stairs were tall. There's the kitchen, and there's the forbidden cookies, which weren't allowed before lunch.

"How does he do it?!" exclaimed Ink, with a mix of being impressed and puzzled, finding his son, yet again, on top of the kitchen cupboard holding a half-empty cookie jar.

"Magic, I reckon," Error sipped some hot chocolate. He wasn't surprised by his son's tricks at all.

"Which magic?"

"Octopus magic."

Ink looked at the child in his arms, who was stuffing as many cookies in his mouth as possible, in bewilderment and threw a questioning look at his failed lover. It turned out that Ink had never seen Radier show his powers before. At first, he didn't even believe Error when the other nervously told him how the child summons two additional clawed paws. Then another incident was added to the story. Once, when Radier was playing in a sandpit with another boy, the other upset him. Immediately, a little creature with the nature of a predator appeared seemingly out of nowhere and chased after him. Then that creature melted in the air, as if it didn't exist. The cuts and bites that it left on the provoker were real, though. Blue noticed these oddities as well, and occasionally got his share of unpleasant hallucinations if he tried to forbid the child to do something.

Radier behaved slyly: he only showed his potential to his actual parent, he restrained himself as much as he could whenever Ink was around, and tried to dominate over everyone else. Basically, he knew how to keep them all under his thumb.

"Who does he take after?" question marks lit up in Ink's eye sockets.

"Well, you needed a new lord of nightmares, here you go," Error pointed at the little smiling monster. The number of his teeth had increased, so now Radier looked more like a fanged bunny.

Ink smiled uneasily and tried to cuddle the 'bunny' for a bit more, but the other stretched his arms out to Error.

"I think he wants his "mama"," grinned the guardian, knowing perfectly well that Error didn't like it when it was pointed out that he was a guy who gave birth, uncaring of the fact that it was normal for the skeletal race.

But the black skeleton didn't have time to get annoyed, as Radier suddenly said:

"Mama!" and stretched his hands out to Error again.

Both Ink and Error froze. Both were smitten, surprised and impressed.

"He said "mama"!" Ink quickly drank some yellow paint and his face almost popped from the smile.

"Wow," Error gave out, embarrassed, and leaned over the child: "Why not papa? Say pa-pa!"

"Mama!" said the child determinedly.

Ink quickly handed Radier to "mama" and closed his mouth with his hand in an attempt to hold back his laughter.

"Congratulations father, you became a mother," he still burst out laughing, and Radier doubled him with his own melodious laugh.

"Traitors," pouted Error and smiled. "Alright, little one, I hope that "papa" is going to be your second word."

Radier clapped his hands a couple of times and suddenly pointed at Ink, indicating who he thought was the father in his family.

If Ink had a possibility to calm down before, now he had all the chances to double over from laughter.

Neither Ink, nor Error knew that their son was developing differently to other children his age. They didn't know that he sees the unseen, and feels the imperceptible. And that the older Radier became, the faster those senses, that were unusual to others, escalated. They didn't know that their child had already begun the dangerous journey through other's dreams.

Radier looked at them with his big, naive eyes and kept all of his little secrets, which there was becoming more of.


	28. He's A Little Nightmare

With difficulty, Dream surfaced from the lake, into which his own dear brother threw him. With his eyes, he found Blue who was fighting off Killer, and Ink who was hustling around Virus. Where was Nightmare?

"Looking for me, brother?"

Nightmare adapted Virus's pets for his needs, and was hovering above the water, readying to give his brother a few more hits.

Dream had to dive back under, and shoot from his bow from there. Even with a magical bow, it was still incredibly hard to hit his target. The picture looked like a surreal sketch with washed out and wavering edges. He was wasting his magic for nothing.

He ran out of air.

Dream surfaced, but got hit with a tentacle and went back underwater, not having taken a breath. Again, he tried to swim up, again, without success.

Water gushed into his throat and his soul thrashed in his ribcage. Panic settled in. Dream wasn't thinking about fighting back anymore, he just wanted to take a breath and pushed himself up, uncaring of the tentacles and their painful punches.

Again, and again, and again. Until his strength ran out.

His body became unbearably heavy, as if huge rocks were tied to his feet. Dream tried to swim up for the last time, but he knew that he couldn't.

Above, the sun was shining, while his body was being pulled down. Into the deep. Into the dark water. He was getting lower and lower. There was less and less sunlight breaking through. And there goes the last beam of light.

He drowned.

There was no more suffocating panic, pain and wishes. Only calm.

...But wait! This fight happened today, and Dream really did swallow some water, but the others dragged him out!

"I'm having a nightmare. It's not real," realised Dream, and the darkness immediately parted. Dream felt someone else's influence and looked around. "Show yourself!"

For a moment, he thought that his brother had found a way to influence his dreams regardless of all the precautions, but no, it wasn't him. Whoever was affecting his dream was doing it carefully. Nightmare would've simply turned any good dream into a nightmare. Here it was different: more cautious penetration and influence of the dream with fears of the sleeping person.

Dream was scared of drowning. He remembered the feeling of the water rushing into his mouth and his soul beating against his ribs. He remembered how heavy his body felt. In his head was the thought that if he died, Dreamtale would never resurrect, his brother will forever stay a lump of negativity, only two Stars would remain, positivity would decrease in the universes. And it would be all his fault: he overestimated his strength.

The unknown one nudged that fear forward a bit, and let Dream's imagination paint out the picture by itself.

But who was able to do such subtle manipulations? If not Nightmare, then…

"Radier, is that you?"

No one answered, and Dream woke up.

"Ink, I think that Radier has learned to walk around dreams. He sent me a nightmare today," said the keeper of dreams instead of greetings, as he jumped out of a portal.

Before him was an idealistic picture. Ink was sitting at the table, surrounded by AU pages hanging on blue strings, trying to figure them out and work on a few of them. Radier was sitting on a highchair and obediently opened his mouth when Error brought a spoonful of baby food to him.

Both parents, and even the child, stared at the guest in bewilderment.

"Tea, coffee?" Ink tried to steer the subject into more peaceful waters.

But Error immediately went for him:

"Wanna dance?" and made a blue cocoon out of Dream. "Why the hell are you blaming my son, dreamer?"

Dream would've answered, but it's not easy to talk with strings over your mouth.

Looking at this 'circus', Radier happily clapped his hands, not forgetting to scoop up his food and eat. As the spoon was still in Error's hand, and he was actively gesturing with it, the little one was eating with his hands.

"Oh, stars!" Error noticed his oversight and hurried to clean up the child. He freed Dream, letting Ink to finish asking his friend.

"Let's start at the beginning, Dream!"

The keeper of dreams felt awkward. Now, looking at the child that was smeared with baby food, he felt guilty about his suspicions. But he was sure that no one else could sneak into his dream. Dream wasn't protected only from Radier. 

"It seems to me," Dream smoothed the corners, "that Readier has learned to influence dreams. Today, I felt like someone…"

"Someone? So you don't know."

"...someone got inside my dream and made a nightmare out of it. Nightmare would've been more rough, and we're protected against him anyway. We're not protected against Radier, and he's the only one who has the powers of a nightmare. Or, at least, out of the people we know. So I think that it was him."

"Did you see him?" Ink threw a careful look at the child and remembered that Error told him about such powers showing from the child. So the walking about others' dreams wasn't possibly Dream's paranoia, but the frightening reality.

"No, I'm telling you that I sensed him. Remember how Blue complained of the hallucinations which Radier showed to him? The feeling was similar. What I'm getting at is that we should limit him in magic, because I'm afraid that Nightmare will find out about him."

"Limit a child in magic!" Error lost it. "Do you even know what you're saying? That could really affect his development, not to mention his mentality. Remember your brother! I'm not going to watch how MY child repeats HIS fate!"

Dream felt as if someone slapped him in the face. He seemed to shrink into himself. He remembered how his brother restrained himself from showing any magical powers, choked on the magic and hoarded the negativity inside himself. Now Dream realised that it was his first step to becoming what he was now.

Before Error threw himself at Dream with his fists, Ink stood between them and put out his hands to the sides:

"Break! Everyone back to their corners. And let's think about our options. Dream, is there a way to stop Radier walking in dreams?"

Dream thought about it and shrugged:

"I'm not familiar with quirks of his power. We need to learn more about them. Only then I can tell you if it was really him and how we can influence him."

"Excellent," Ink came to his son, took him out of the highchair and gave him to Dream. "Then you will spend the day only with him."

Radier and Dream both gave each other an incredulous look. Neither of them were pleased about spending a whole day alone with each other. Nor was Error happy with this idea:

"Hey! What the fuck, rainbow asshole!"

"He's his uncle, Error. If you trust giving Radier to Dust, then trust giving him to Dream. He's not going to eat him."

A deafening squeal rang out, and Error grinned:

"Maybe Dream won't, but Radier would be happy to try."

At that moment, Dream was trying to pull his hand out of the little nightmare's jaws.


	29. Hide-and-Seek

Dream's house looked lonely. Lots of rooms were closed off, and there was dust and cobwebs in them. The only places that looked occupied were the living room, the kitchen and the smallest bedroom. Dream didn't need anything else. If he had a place to be with friends, that was enough.

"Well, Radier, make yourself at home," the keeper of dreams put the boy on the carpet, and sat down to untie his shoelaces. He didn't know that he had just set a hurricane free.

The little one looked around. Before, he had only been once in his uncle's house, when he couldn't run around, and now he couldn't resist the opportunity to explore new places. He squealed from delight:

"Eeeee!" and ran into a room. Immediately, a thump and the sound of breaking glass came from there.

Dream jumped up in an instant and ran to him, and almost fell down: he had managed to untie his shoes, but not take them off, and stepped on the shoelaces.

"I hope he didn't hurt himself. Ink will kill me!" 

He didn't see the child. Instead, his eyes fell onto the small turned-over table and the broken vase.

"Radier?"

No one answered him. A sound came from the kitchen. And then — a squeal and laughter.

Dream rushed over there, but again failed to catch the child red-handed. The fridge was open, a jar of jam was poured out. Leading from the puddle — a line of raspberry-flavoured tracks.

"Radier!!!"

The keeper of dreams followed the trail of tracks, playing the bloodhound. He didn't have to go far, only until the first wall. It seemed like the child went right through the wall, for the tracks stopped exactly where it started.

"How is this even possible?"

He looked more closely, and realised that the walls had strange lines one them, as if made by big claws. The lines were going up. Dream looked up and felt how his jaw threatened to leave its usual place and fall on the floor. On the ceiling were the tiny footprints of a child.

"What kind of Satan's child is this?"

And then he saw the pleased child out of the corner of his eye. The other was peeking out from beneath the arch under the stairs. Radier smiled playfully and dissipated in the gloom of the dark space. When Dream ran to him, no one was under the stairs anymore.

Footsteps came from the second floor. And, again, when Dream came there, he didn't find anyone. He sighed and stood still, waiting to hear rustling or any other sound that would help him find the little devil. Only there was none. A minute went by, another, ten.

"Hello, Error?"

He heard a sigh from the other end, and it seemed to Dream like a broken passionate moan. What are they doing there while I'm suffering here, thought Dream.

"What do you need?"

"I want to ask you something that you might get very angry at."

"Let me guess: Radier is hiding and you can't find him. Ink, wait! Our son is trying to give your friend a heart attack."

"Well, tell him that even if he does have a heart attack, he will still be responsible if anything happens to our son!" came Ink's threatening voice.

"Well, you heard him, dreamer. Basically, Radier likes to play hide-and-seek. Don't worry, he won't hurt himself. He has a couple of trump cards up his sleeve. Maybe the whole pack. You should be more worried about yourself, his games can be quite traumatic, you can ask Blue about that. And most importantly...don't frighten him! You won't be happy."

Next, he had to call Blue and ask him what are the little nightmare's favourite places to hide.

"Oh, they left him with you? I feel sorry for you. Radier is actually a cutie and all that, but it can be difficult with him."

"I already know that!" Dream looked under the couch, on top of the wardrobe and even on the chandelier. "Where do I look for him?"

"He likes to look at you from dark places, but he'll hide anywhere. You won't catch him easily. But you could try to lure him out."

"What do I lure him out with? Cookies?"

Blue chuckled:

"You can with cookies. But you're his main treat. He has his own trait: play with those he likes, and frighten those he doesn't. So don't scare him accidentally. Or you'll be like our Alphys. Twitching, tired and checking under her bed with a mop before going to bed. She still finds some monsters there that her parents told her about when she was young."

"Do you want to come over and help me then?"

"Nope," Blue said happily. "But I wish you luck. Bye."

Dream put away the phone and checked under the table. He thought that a shadow had flickered there. But there was no one under it. Instead, when he crawled to the edge of it and looked up…

Radier was standing on the table and looking at his uncle with the piercing gaze of a nightmare. And that gaze didn't bide well for his father's enemies.

"NYAH!" and for his son's enemies either.

Radier jumped, and smacked Dream's head to the floor with his body. And then, laughing like an escaped hyena, ran off to find a new hide-out.

"Oh you little bastard!" Dream was a nightmare's twin, and he had the same frightening look sometimes.

His hands slid down to his belt, which he really wanted to use for behaviour-teaching purposes. But he had to remind himself that his nephew was only little, and didn't understand that he was misbehaving.

Though Dream wasn't so sure in the latter. Maybe the little nightmare understood everything and does everything on purpose?

"Stop right there!"

The child didn't have time to hide. The game of hide-and-seek changed into a game of tag. Dream was trying hard to catch his nephew, who was grinning with his four sharp teeth and running around with the agility of a cat.

The house was full of squeals, laughter and shouts.

Finally, Dream twisted and caught Radier. Only the child got scared of the sudden and tight embrace and, in the next second, watched how his uncle was sitting, holding his head in his hands, and crying.

"I'm sorry, brother! I'm sorry! It's all my fault! My fault!"

Radier looked at the older skeleton and, too, started whimpering.

"Sowwy," he whined, wiping his tears.

Dream quickly pulled himself together after the hallucination and saw the crying child. He immediately forgot that he was angry at him, that he was tired and that he had scared him.

"Quiet, quiet! Everything's okay. I'm alright."

He pulled the child to himself and hugged him.

"Sowwy!"

"I forgive you. But don't do that anymore."

"Uh-huh."

Dream pressed the child to himself and suddenly remembered his brother, who was huddling to him in this very way, and crying on his shoulder. Who looked at him with those same desperate eyes, wishing to hear that he hadn't done anything wrong.

The day had only just begun, but Dream already felt exhausted.


	30. An Attempt - A Fun Excruciation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is (slightly) NSFW.

"Error, oh, it was amazing," moaned Ink languidly.

Error's eye twitched.

"The hell are you talking about?!" he gave out, turning off his phone before such phrases reached Dream's ears. He tried to lift himself above the white bones that were shaking with delight.

"You underestimate yourself," Ink continued with the compliments. "I haven't felt so good in a long time."

"Ink! I'm warning you!" growled Error. "One more joke like this and you'll be untangling yourself alone!"

The body beneath him laughed, and, finally, made attempts to escape, but only got even more tangled in the binding.

"Um, Error! I think we need help."

"Shit! Be thankful that I forgot my phone in my pocket."

They called Blue, who had only just finished talking with Dream, and asked to come over. With scissors. The artist and the destroyer didn't answer the question of what happened, why did they need scissors and why couldn't they use their own.

Blue arrived with scissors and Dust, who didn't want to miss this Multiversal circus. He wasn't wrong about the circus part. He only had to see in what position his friends were and started laughing loudly, falling on the floor from the pain in his sides from the laughter.

Blue contained himself a bit more, but was smiling from ear to ear as well. Playing with the scissors, he approached the bed and asked:

"And how did you get to this sort of life?"

The black and white skeletons blushed and told them this story:

When Dream took Radier away, Ink wanted to show a bit more pressure and, delicately, asked Error:

"Maybe we could try to…" he hesitated, picking the right words, "to spend our bed time not only sleeping? I promise that if it doesn't work out, we'll immediately stop."

Error didn't falter for too long. Why not try, and find out if the injuries inflicted by Nightmare have healed enough?

Because Error didn't initiate anything, Ink did. He led his lover into the bedroom and began to cover his body with kisses, right through the clothes. Slowly making paths from the bare neck, then pulling up the shirt and giving light kisses to the ribs, touching the pelvis with the tips of his fingers and barely grazing the sensitive parts.

It became hot. But Error twitched every time Ink touched his bare bones. He loudly sucked in air every time the other slid his tongue on them, or the fingers burned the sensitive edges.

Noticing all those unpleasant symptoms, Ink thought to stop. But Error pulled him to the bed, pushed him on it and, for the first time, kissed him himself. Fairly timidly and clumsily.

Feeling his desire and getting the long-awaited push, the guardian increased the pressure and began caressing the black bones, trying to find all the sensitive places, spreading the fire of passion.

And Error didn't seem to be against it, he sighed languidly, pressed the other to himself, moaned, taking in all the caresses. But when Ink reached into his shorts, he faltered again.

Error tried to push him away, even though he was pressing him to the bed, and, not having orientated himself, he used his magic. But, in this state, the magic didn't work the way it was supposed to, and the strings bound the two skeletons to the bed, making an erotic sandwich out of them.

When the black skeleton regained himself and realised what a stupid position he was in, he could only swear through his teeth. And Ink couldn't stop joking:

"We've never been so close before!"

"Shut up, rainbow asshole!"

Luckily, Dream called, and Error found out that he didn't take the phone out of his pocket — thank the Void.

Dust started to choke from laughter, and now was just lying somewhere on the floor gurgling. Blue was keeping himself together as much as possible in order not to follow his example.

"You two are inimitable," he summarised the story. "So who are we cutting first?"

"Don't you start with the jokes," implored Error and lifted himself up as much as he could, creating a gap between the bodies, into which the scissors could fit and slice through the strings that hummed with the strain.

Finally, freedom!

The pair of skeletons crawled into different corners, and caught their breath. With difficulty, Error managed to get rid of most of the glitches, and calmed down the storming voices, which were disappointed in the failed intimacy.

Dust and Blue went into the kitchen for their reward: they were promised tea with cookies. Ink gently nudged Error's side and promised him:

"We can try again another time. Don't get upset. I'm going to wait for it," and followed the others.

And an embarrassed and deeply blushing Error went into a reboot.


	31. Sleepwalker

For the whole day, Dream was trying on the role of a parent. With occasional success. Radier didn't make that job easy, instead he was finding a thousand ways to make it harder. He turned lunchtime into a food fight. A walk turned into a swimming session in a puddle on the roadside. Then Radier decided to snack on a spider. Only its legs were sticking out and twitching, which horrified Dream, who couldn't convince the disobedient child to spit out the poor creature.

At about midday, the keeper of dreams was desperate to understand how Radier's magic works and the ways in which he could limit it. It was as if the child knew exactly what his uncle was after, and masterfully hid his magical abilities. Or, at least, when his uncle was looking.

"Oh you little rascal. No matter, you'll soon want to sleep, and you won't have a choice."

As if affirming it, Radier yawned and rubbed his eyes. He threw an angry look at his uncle, as if it was his fault that he was tired.

"Sleep, little one," Dream stroked the child's head, but the other shoved his hand away and stubbornly continued to play with his toys.

Dream only shook his head. Radier was his brother's son, but his character was like Error's. He was prickly like him. The keeper felt sad about the thoughts of his brother. Nearly two years ago, his brother had committed a terrible assault, the result of which was this little skeleton, who could help them resurrect Dreamtale.

The thoughts of possible consequences that could follow the revival of the native universe forced Dream to feel fear and spite towards the little child. But he pulled himself together, and reminded himself yet again: you can't run away from the truth, and you will still have to pay for all your actions.

The child was nodding his head over the toys, until he stretched himself out on the carpet and gave in to the sleep.

"Finally," smiled Dream and put a hand onto the child's head. "Let's have a look at your mighty powers."

White. Too much white. The Void? No, the simple consciousness of a child. Radier wasn't bothered with decorating the inside of his imaginary place of residence. So, a couple of pillows, toys and the figures of his parents. The latter warmed Dream's soul. He expected to see only Error here, and he felt happy to see his friend too. Ink looked surprisingly self-collected, and even a bit taller than Error. And that didn't tally with reality, but, hey, this was the perception of a child who wasn't even one year old.

Dream looked around and was surprised by not finding Radier.

"Would you look at how smart he is! Right, where are you? Aha, well, I'll start by watching you."

The child was easily skimming through the dreams. And not just dreams, but the dreams of all the residents of the Multiverse, which was shocking and frightening at the same time. Unlike Nightmare, good dreams didn't harm Radier. He was happily looking at unicorns, butterflies and other things from fairy tales without expressing any discomfort.

There were no problems with nightmares either. They didn't scare Radier. The little one simply standing nearby, watching the violence, and either didn't understand what was happening, or either the brutality in others' dreams didn't affect him. He looked over it with a neutral gaze, and walked on. Only Dream noticed something. In happy dreams, Radier looked normal, but in nightmares his figure was flickering with a mist, which collected into additional arms that were ready to defend their tiny master at any moment.

They weren't the only ones. Sometimes the nightmares of the humans and monsters accompanied Radier like good friends. The sight of the marching child being followed by a tail of beasts made goosebumps run on Dream's back.

Radier didn't hesitate anywhere and didn't influence any dreams. He played the role of a spectator and wasn't seen by the owners of the dreams, as expected from proper keepers of dreams.

In general, the child followed all the rules and restrictions without thinking, as if it was in his blood, written in his genes, laid out in his code.

He continued to go deeper in the debris of dreams, until he reached a dark section.

"Nightmare!" understood Dream.

He wanted to appear before the child and pull him out of his sleep. But Radier froze at the border. He looked at Nightmare's strange dream from one end, then another. He didn't go in it, but left it alone. And continued to walk.

And then he woke up.

Dream hurried to follow his example and opened his eyes. And immediately he was impaled on the child's gloomy gaze. Radier looked at him, puffed out, and then ONE — and hit Dream on the forehead with a rattle.

"Yep, little one," Dream rubbed his bruised head. "Your love for me is right there."

The keeper of dreams was thinking. He had just seen what Radier was capable of and, honestly, was impressed. Neither him or Nightmare had a childhood like this. They weren't born: they were created. And the apple brothers weren't developing like ordinary children, so Dream didn't know if such growth in magic was normal. Radier had an immense potential, but it was also with danger which they had to fight.

But how? Dream knew that to limit the child in magic was not only allowed, but also impossible. And if the child continues to run round dreams, then sooner or later he'll find his second father. That would be a catastrophe!

The only thing that Dream came up with to protect the child is to control his dreams. Which would be to shut his nimble body in Dream, while asleep, or in one of his parents.

"Well, little one, I'll wait till you fall asleep again, and try to protect you from silliness, okay?"

In reply — a new hit to the forehead with the rattle.


	32. Doubts

Dream brought Radier back to Ink's void closer to the evening.

"Oh, friend, where did you get that bruise on your forehead?"

"From a rattle," the usually positive skeleton replied gloomily, and hurried to hand the child over to "papa". "Here is your treasure."

He immediately felt a rush of strength and happiness. He breathed out so freely, it was as if a huge rock was lifted off his chest, even though the child weighed less than a kilogram. Only bones and a lot of magic.

Radier was happy as well. Finally, he was taken away from his glum uncle and brought back to the skeletons that loved him. He joyfully babbled something in babies' language.

"Well, have you figured something out about his powers?" asked Ink.

"And what about you? You spent your time wisely," winked Dream.

The artist unexpectedly laughed and offered him to ask about the details from Blue.

"I will," promised the keeper of dreams and got to the point: "Radier is a very powerful monster and, yes, he definitely has the abilities of a nightmare. And, unlike me and my brother, he doesn't have restrictions about walking in dreams. He is comfortable in both good and bad dreams. Honestly, I'm surprised at his nonchalance at nightmares of all sorts. I think that he already knows the difference between dreams and reality."

"Wow," Ink was shocked. He didn't know that it was possible to have such a huge potential at such a young age. "But you didn't say: how do we protect our little nightmare from the bigger nightmare?"

Dream narrowed his eyes:

"Even I'm not powerful enough to control this little hurricane. And you were right: limiting him in magic isn't an option. So we could just try to shield him from the dangerous places."

"How do we do that?"

"From this day on, someone will simply travel around dreams with him and not let him go somewhere he's not supposed to be. And keep doing it until he becomes smarter. Later, we can explain everything to him."

"And hope that he'll listen to us, yeah," grunted Ink. "I don't think that obedience is one of his best talents. In any case, I'm busy with the Multiverse for most of the time, so we'll need to tell all this to Error."

"By the way, where is he?" Dream looked around, as if he expected to find the destroyer behind himself.

He was still stressed out by this family game that his friend was playing. But he couldn't discourage it. He had seen how well it affects not only Ink, but Error as well.

"He's sleeping," Ink showed a new teether to Radier and the other happily sunk his teeth into it. "He decided to go to sleep earlier today. So I can walk around dreams with Radier today. Show us what we need."

They didn't need much. Only a sphere for dreams, only empty.

"Mainly, don't let the little bastard run away: you'll never catch him."

Soon, the bed in the guest room was covered with bedding and the three were lying on it: Ink, Dream and the child between them. They were sleeping and seeing one shared dream.

Radier remembered that uncle Dream stroked his head and he immediately fell asleep after that. He woke up in the land of dreams — a place that made him happy. But this time, uncle Dream and dad were with him.

Unsure, the child looked at them, tilting his head.

"Papa?"

Ink was touched, and took Radier into his arms.

"Error is gonna kill me," he said with a smile. "He calls him mama."

Dream couldn't hold back a snicker:

"You really are like a real family."

"We're trying."

"But, Ink, don't forget who he is. And what happened won't change it. He can go off at any moment, do you understand?"

Ink didn't answer. He held the child more comfortably and strolled to a park that appeared in the land of dreams.

Error woke up in the early morning and was surprised by not seeing Ink near him. He was even more surprised when he looked into the guest room and found a harmonious picture of the guardians and the sleeping child between them. Dream and Ink looked really well together: harmonious, proper. While he...Error couldn't brag about something like that. Every time he looked into a mirror, he saw a creature disfigured by the Void. Reversionary, dangerous, dirtied by mistakes from code. And, from recent events, morally humiliated.

He was raped, forced to bear a child and…

Error clenched his fists. A shocking thought appeared in his head. Maybe Ink just wanted to have him near, control him, and not let him destroy? He just wanted to tie him to himself with kindness, sex, the promises of protection?

His house was just another prison which he got into. And Ink actually wanted to be with Dream.

And why not? He even had sex with him, albeit in a dream. So why did he need a disfigured, raped, morally broken former enemy, which you couldn't even tilt towards bedroom activities?

Error gripped his hand on his chest, feeling how his soul was hurting, and went into a portal. He needed to take a break.

The morning began with chaos. Radier was crying, demanding his mama. Ink was panicking, not finding the mama. Dream was saying how he always believed that the idea to domesticate Error was a bad one.

"Where could he have gone? We always have breakfast together in the morning! What if Nightmare sees him?" After those words, Dream was busy searching for the black skeleton and started running around as well. He was opening portals almost randomly.

Infuriatingly, they found him in the last place they looked. The "loss" was at Blue's.

Ink ran through the portal into the Swaps' kitchen, nearly knocking Dust off his feet. He saw Error, calmly drinking cocoa, and pounced on him, like a beggar at a piece of bread.

"Can you even imagine how worried I was!" he screamed.

Error glitched, nearly going into a reboot from such close contact and hurried to push Ink away from himself:

"Have you forgotten about my phobia again, rainbow asshole? And what is this circus? I went for a visit!" His anger quickly turned into bewilderment. Ink looked like he was scared to death. "What happened?"

"We woke up, and you weren't there. And you didn't leave a note or anything. I didn't know what to think, and only bad things went to my mind. Like Nightmare found you."

Error twitched. But he kept his tense expression, knowing that all the emotions shown by Ink were the effects of his paint.

"I'll warn you next time."

Ink drank some yellow, and immediately looked like a smiling fool again. He led Error to the portal.

"Come on. Radier really wants you. And me with Dream need to tell you about a way we found to control the little one's dreams."


	33. Tension

Error was scared to death from the thought that Radier might have a chance encounter with his second biological parent. Naturally, he was against such turnouts and therefore forgot about his jealousy and joined in to help protect his son from individuals from the dark world.

At first, Radier was thrilled about all the new attention, but then noticed the amount of restrictions and started to show displeasure to such a layout. He was trying to run away from Dream, attempting to trick Ink and only listened to Error. If "mama" said not to go there, then he shouldn't go there.

Radier was also worried about his mama's being. He chased away bad dreams from him and couldn't understand why the other continued to feel more and more unsafe. Why he had doubts about the monsters around him. Radier didn't know how to help, and simply tried to be as obedient as possible and be an ideal child for Error.

The little one was overjoyed with his first cake with a burning candle on top. He got lots of new toys and the others let him eat as much sweets as he could. And that distracted the child from the growing tension in his family.

Ink felt Error's tension as well and didn't know how to help him. He continued to be sweet, polite; he showed him in every possible way (except sex) that the other was loved and important. But the black skeleton was becoming more gloomy and detached. And sometimes he hinted that he and Dream were a good couple, at which Ink, obviously, rolled his eyes and assured him in the opposite.

But, once, Error said something that Ink feared to hear. And it nearly shattered their relationship.

It happened in the morning, when Radier was playing in his playpen, while Ink was sorting through the pages of the universes. Suddenly, Error ripped three of the papers off the strings and showed them to the guardian with the words:

"These worlds need to be erased."

Ink shivered and looked at Error with empty eye sockets. He took the sheets out of his hands and looked at them closer: Laketale, Chesstale, Undertomb. All of these worlds were unpopular and were barely holding on. But they were full of life and they also embodied unusual and creative ideas. For example, Laketale tells the story of what happens after a pacifist run if the human went through a genocide run before it. Chesstale was a pretty place with the similarity to decorative chess. In that world, it was easy to feel like one of the chess pieces. Undertomb was a branch of Horrortale, but out of the Fell line.

"Why?" was all that Ink could say.

Error gave Ink a bewildered stare and couldn't answer. He only shrugged:

"That's how it must be. I know it."

Ink found traces of yellow paint in himself and managed to give a grudging smile:

"I thought that you were done with the destroying stage of your life?"

"Stage? Did you forget the purpose of my existence?"

"What I mean is, I thought that you're going to return to the purpose of your existence later. When we'll finish the quest of reviving Dreamtale. Can it not wait?"

"Maybe it can, but those three worlds must be destroyed," Error began to get irritated. He didn't know why he was supposed to explain the facts (that he couldn't properly describe to others) that the other already knew. "You asked me to trust you, Ink. But how can I trust you if you can't trust me?"

Ink didn't know what to do. He was at a crossroad, and both choices led to hell. He tried to be cunning and choose a third way, but nothing good came out of it.

"Let me watch those worlds. And if you're right, maybe they'll suddenly start to break down or something like that, I'll allow you to destroy them," only after saying it, the guardian realised that he had made an irreparable mistake.

"You'll allow me???"

And he had to quickly cover it up.

"Oh, sorry, I said it wrong," Ink tried to play dumb as much as he could. "Well, I'm responsible for the worlds and if one disappears, then I'm not managing them properly. So they disappear because of my connivance. Understand?"

Error snorted, looking like he was satisfied with the given answer. He took his hot chocolate and went to the playpen to play with his son. Further away from the worlds and the temptation to tear their frail lives to pieces, while Ink sadly understood that he shouldn't work on the universes from home anymore.

He started to spend less time with his family, which wasn't doing much good for Error's mood.

The black skeleton was doubting that he had chosen the right path even more. Maybe he should leave, like he had planned before? Sit further away from everyone else on the edge of the Multiverse, while those idiotic apple brothers work things out between themselves.

But Radier!

Error was looking at his son, and knew that he couldn't leave him. Especially not to soulless Ink and not for the daydreaming Dream.

"Mama, is evewything alwight?" The child unmistakably understood the state Error was in and tried to calm him down.

"Everything's okay, little guy. I'll live. I've lived through worse."

The tension grew slowly but mercilessly. Ink even thought to move to the guest room, as Error moved as far away from him as possible at night, and would yell in the morning if he found the guardian too close to him.

"If you don't trust me, why the hell should I trust you?"

Thoughts about letting Error destroy those ill-fated worlds wandered into the artist's head. Maybe it would return them calm and the likeness of a harmonious family. But then, something happened, something that promised to change his view of the destroyer in the future.

The guardian, at first, looked with confusion at the decaying worlds, then with terror. Those were the very worlds that Error pointed out a few days ago. Laketale started to glitch, like an unfinished game, stopping in the middle of the storyline. Dark times came to Chesstale, and it started to turn into something like Horrortale, adding negativity to the Multiverse. Undertomb suddenly died out. Chara appeared there, and not only killed everyone, but removed herself as well, completely cutting off any chance of a future for that universe.

And now he didn't know what to do with those worlds. The right thing to do would be to leave them to...decompose. But Ink didn't like that idea. He saw a way out that neither Blue or Dream would've approved of, but they didn't need to know, right?

"Is Radier asleep?" Ink asked Error as soon he had stepped out of a portal.

"He just drifted off," the destroyer was watching Undernovela without interest.

"If you're not busy, I wanted to show you a place that you never had a way in before."

Error looked at the guardian with interest.

"And what place is that? Another AU?"

"No," Ink was shuffling from foot to foot, like a cringing cat that was going to have its face poked into a mess it had made. "Let's go. Believe me, you won't regret it."

Error didn't regret it. He had never been in the realm of sketches before. And he never thought that he'd ever get in it, for it was the heart of the Multiverse. If he were to destroy it, all of the Multiverse would become nothing.

He swallowed, and, with difficulty, said:

"Why do you show this to me?"

Instead of answering, Ink led the destroyer to the three glitching worlds.

"You were right, Error. Those worlds should've been destroyed. I'm sorry, I'm still full of doubts about destroying, and didn't believe you straight away. I thought it was only your whim. But when I saw that those worlds, the ones you pointed out, became lifeless and decaying, I think I began to understand you. You feel their nearing end, don't you? You felt it, and warned me. But I, a fool, didn't believe you. I'm sorry, Error. From this hour, I will believe your opinion more. Will you forgive me?"

Instead of replying, Error wrapped the dying worlds in strings and sharply pulled, tearing off their pitiful existence. He gave Ink a heavy look, and, reluctantly, promised:

"I'll try to."

But that was enough for Ink to be swallowed by happiness:

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" he cried, hugging the black skeleton. He even spun him around in the weightless realm of sketches. Error couldn't pull away from the embraces, and went into a reboot from an unexpected kiss.

"Rainbow asshole!!!"

Slowly, peace returned to their family.


	34. An Encounter That Shouldn't Have Happened

The family's mornings began with breakfast and a stroll in the world of sketches, where Error carefully studied the worlds, and sometimes ended the life of some small universes. Though there were times when he only damaged a world like a child tearing off a leg off a bug, and then he watched how it struggles in the attempts to survive. If the world continued to live and the wound healed he left it alone, if it began to decay he quickly finished what he started.

"Don't tell this to Dream, Blue and even Dust," asked Ink.

Error wanted to say something rude, show his mistrust to his friends, but restrained himself and simply nodded. Even he himself wasn't ready to accept the facts of how important he was to the Multiverse.

"So you're something like a cleaner?" asked Ink with a smirk, as Error passed a row of universes.

"I have no idea. I just know which worlds to destroy, and which ones to hurt. Though, often the Creators give me hints. My work is to listen to their suggestions or not."

The guardian found it hard to accept the need to eliminate some worlds. He knew well that lives are born in their Multiverse in seconds, and end in the same amount of short time. Sometimes they last only one cycle, and then the world burns itself up. But Ink wasn't sad, for worlds were born every day and many of them lived happily for a long time. In the background, those ones that Error destroyed, seemed to be unimportant victims.

Error assessed the victim and began to let him get closer again, he even endured the hugs and rare kisses. He was still unsure about himself, so he was afraid to show false hope with his actions. But he liked being with Ink, even though he couldn't give honest emotions, he gave the feeling of protection, power and, most importantly, trust and understanding. With him, the black skeleton didn't feel alone.

Radier was pleased about his parents making up, and became more happy and... disobedient. And one night it almost cost him his life.

That night, Ink was busy in one of the universes, while Error had a bad cold the day before and wasn't in the state to walk around dreams with his son. Blue and Dust weren't fit for this job at all: Blue himself needed to be supervised and Dust got distracted too often. So the business was left to Dream.

Like before, the keeper of dreams waited until the child began to fall asleep and merged their dreams together. Like always, he immediately took the child into his arms and tried to distract him with the bright sights and different positive dreams. Only this time, Radier couldn't concentrate on them as he should've. He chose the right moment, and slipped away into the first nightmare he found, and then into the next one.

Dream had to run through a territory that wasn't his to catch the mischievous child. And, naturally, his movement attracted attention.

The keeper of dreams caught the child by the border of a dark dream, exactly when the other wanted to go into the next one. Dream felt weak and was barely holding onto his consciousness: he had used a lot of power without a stream of positive feelings restoring them. He was ready to move into a positive dream, then he felt pressure of negativity that ate the energy he had prepared for the transfer.

"Who do I see, is it really my brother? And what did he forget in such a colourless place?"

Dream recognised the voice, but he didn't dare to turn around. He was pressing the small child to himself, whom his brother wasn't supposed to see.

"I'm surprised as well," it turned out to be hard to not make his voice quiver, "I got lost."

He could almost see how his brother moves his tentacles that were woven out of negativity, and smiles victoriously. He was stronger now and could win easily.

"What a silly way to end your life, don't you think?"

Dream continued to stand with his back to him and hectically tried to wake Radier up, but the little one refused and wasn't going to wake up, he was looking at his uncle in bewilderment and tried to escape his embrace. He was interested in who was the monster that had scared his usually brave uncle so much.

Nightmare got tired of talking with a back and one of the tentacles made Dream not only turn around but also fly off to the side. The only thing the keeper could do was to throw Radier away from himself so that he didn't get injured.

The child landed down softly, no one noticed what had softened his fall. And he immediately got up, inspecting the new face to the fullest.

The lord of nightmares was dumbfounded. There he is, the child that he was looking for — another nightmare. Powerful, even though a child. He should've killed him there and then, only something familiar was in him. Half-forgotten, barely noticeable features on the little face. Different-sized eyelights and slightly distorted code on the head, dark bones — it all reminded him of someone. And, as he wasn't zealously thinking about it, he suddenly found, in his opinion, the only conclusion:

"Is this your spawn?" he addressed his brother, who just got up onto his feet.

Dream almost blurted out: "No, yours!" — but he bit his tongue in time and lied:

"Mine."

In reply, he heard laughter. The lord of nightmares couldn't stop.

"Turns out my brother isn't as innocent as he wants to seem. I haven't seen you pregnant, but we met often, so then you must've knocked someone up. And who is that unlucky one?"

Dream feverishly tried to list all skeletons that were glitching and had dark bones in his mind. But the only one that fitted the most was Error. Just the thought that something could be between them made Dream feel sick.

"None of your business!"

"Mine," disagreed the dark brother and grinned at the defenceless child. His tentacles became sharp-ended in the direction of the small victim. "I need to know who I need to kill today."

"NO!" Dream mindlessly ran forward and got trapped in one of the tentacles.

Radier continued to stand at the same place and was looking at the unfolding conflict without the due tears and fear. Only with interest. He didn't even express any concern for his uncle.

"I wonder how much pain comes from a parent that lost their child?" said Nightmare.

Dream felt a chill. And while the tentacles reached for the child, he was ready to admit everything and begin to beg him. Maybe the nightmare wouldn't touch his offspring. Especially from Error, since he loved him.

Thankfully, he didn't have time to do so.

The tentacles only had to appear in alarming closeness, and Radier suddenly frowned, exactly like Nightmare, and the gigantic mass of negativity from the dream turned into two huge, clawed hands which in seconds grabbed Nightmare and hurled him far away.

Before the brother regained his consciousness and returned, Dream grabbed Radier and, with great difficulty, moved to a good dream. On the way, he recharged his strength and immediately moved further away, like a running hare, until he was sure that they were safe.

"Oh, Radier, you have no idea what trouble this is going to cause," Dream sadly whispered.


	35. Worries

A nerve-wracking silence lingered in the room.

Error was holding a pillow and mechanically rocking it, staring at the wall with an empty gaze. The news about Nightmare finding out about Radier were almost fatal to the black skeleton. He went into a reboot till the end of the day, and the others had barely managed to reach his consciousness, assuring him that nothing irreparable had happened.

"Nothing irreparable?" he asked again in terror. "That bastard found out about Radier!!!"

He looked at the pillow, realised that it wasn't the child and threw it on the floor. He was overflowing with rage, mixed with concern for the child, whom Blue was looking after while this serious discussion was happening.

"He only knows that "Dream has a son". He suspects nothing about you. And, what's more, he won't ever think that Radier is his child," Ink smoothed the edges.

"Even if that's the case," Error was nearly growling, "he knows that there's a new nightmare. And he's tied with Dreamtale. You don't think that Night is an idiot? Sooner or later, he'll realise the same thing that you did. He'll understand that Dreamtale can be resurrected with the help of Dream and the new nightmare! What do you think will happen then?"

Feeling guilt, even without those words, Dream lowered his head:

"I'm sorry."

Error replied with a growl, while Ink shook his head:

"It's not your fault. It was only the terrible alignment of circumstances. We knew of Radier's power, but chose the decision to not restrict it, and this is the result of our decision."

"It would be better if you tell us what we're supposed to do now, smart ass!" Error worriedly looked in the direction of the child's room, as if Nightmare could crawl out of there with the dead child in his tentacles at any moment.

The destroyer was terribly nervous and wanted to be near his son, to make sure that he was alive and well.

Ink followed Error's gaze and tried to calm him down:

"Nothing is endangering him. Nightmare can't get any of us in the closed worlds."

"What about when Radier goes to sleep?!"

"Then we'll continue to watch him and protect him in case anything happens. And you already heard: our child fought off a nightmare."

"Because he didn't expect such power from an infant!" Error continued to bare his teeth. "Next time, he can fight till defeat."

The guardians were lost in thought, while the black skeleton bit his finger from worry.

He didn't know what to do. Now he won't be allowed to go into dreams with his son, as it may bring another encounter with Nightmare. What if he'll overcome the defence? Radier only listened to him. And Error was ready to take risks. With horror, he realised that he values his son's life and wellbeing over his own. And, if he had to, he was ready to throw himself at Dream's brother, uncaring of what would happen next.

Error grabbed his head and fell on the couch.

"If you don't come up with a good plan immediately, I'm taking my son and getting as far away from here as possible!"

Ink flinched and approached Error, asking him with a slightly shaky voice:

"Are you really going to do that? Are you serious?"

"What else would I have left to do? Only leave you with Nightmare, and save myself and my son by running away. Maybe to the Save Screen where Geno is, Nightmare has a hard time getting there as well."

"That won't solve anything," said Dream sadly and raised his head. "I'm sorry, Error, but Nightmare will find Radier by his energy if you leave the closed worlds. And he can sense him in dreams now as well."

Error was tired of growling, being angry and hysterics, so he deeply breathed in and out. He leaned into the couch, throwing a gaze of a beaten dog at the guardians. Living with such masters was to disrespect himself, but have nowhere else to go.

"Let's think," Ink sat near Error and hugged him. Error accepted the embrace reluctantly. "We can do this. Radier isn't only important for you. We'll protect him."

Error sighed and decided:

"I'll try to talk to him, and explain why he can't meet with…the octopus man. Maybe he has enough brains to understand that. He's an unusual child, after all. And you," he shook Ink's arms off himself and stood up, pointing at the guardians. "You think of a way to protect us. And don't skive off!" He opened a portal and went to his son.

It was a bit noisy in Underswap. It was a clear snowy day, and the young one was throwing snowballs under the watchful eyes of Blue and Papyrus.

"Is everything alright?" was the first thing the black skeleton said on arrival.

Instead of an answer, Blue tried to hug him — another goldfish — and got blue strings on his legs and went for a swim in the snow. So his brother had to answer.

"Everything's fine. So let my brother go," the eye of the taller skeleton lit up with a menacing flame.

Error waved his hand, simultaneously removing the strings and expressing his attitude. He hurried to his son.

"Radier!"

"Mama!"

Error was embarrassed: he was just announced to the whole of Underswap. Radier's voice was high and loud, and many heard him. Many people turned to look and smirked. He caught the child that ran up to him and hugged him. Immediately, all was calm, as if the unfortunate encounter never happened.

"How are you, is no one upsetting you here?"

"Nope," Radier could smile like an angel. But occasionally his smile could get demons to stir from the depths of hell. Like now, for example.

"Well done."

Error rocked the child in his arms. Thought for a bit. Then sighed and went to the house of the Swap brothers, to try to explain to the confident child why he shouldn't meet the octopus man. And if the child loves his "mama", he should listen to him.

...Otherwise "mama" will be no more…


	36. Grey

For the important talk, Error chose Blue's room. He came in, closed the door, put the child on the bed, and sat on his knees on the floor himself. Like that, they were almost level and nothing got in the way of looking at his son in the eyes. Eyes that were too intelligent for their age.

"You're still young and don't understand a lot," began Error. "Maybe too young. But you should know one scary thing. That man, who attacked you, is very bad. He can hurt you and me."

"Hurt mama?"

"Yes. He can hurt me."

"I will protect mama!" The child clenched his fists and a dark haze of magic enveloped him.

"Yes, you can protect us if he attacks us," Error didn't argue. "But Nightmare can hurt us even when he's far away. Do you understand?"

Radier didn't. The haze dissipated and the child stared in confusion.

"I don't understand, mama."

"But do you want for everything to be okay?"

"Yes!" Radier actively nodded.

"Then can you promise me one simple thing? Don't get out of sight. Always be near me, or Ink, or Blue, or Dream. Because if that man will see you again, he can find me and I will be no more."

Error knew that the one-and-a-half year-old child, who barely started to understand meaningful speech, understood little of what he said. But he hoped to frighten the child with his words and force him to be more obedient.

How wrong he was…

Radier took the talk with his parent very seriously. Only he understood it differently to how he was meant to. He didn't become more passive, he didn't wasn't more restrained in his behaviour, he didn't begin to listen more to his companions in dreams; he, on the contrary, started purposefully looking for Nightmare. And, in a way that Dream described:

"He's very bloodthirsty in those moments. I can't hold him back."

"So he started looking for Nightmare to...kill him?" Ink didn't believe him. "He's one year old! He can't be thinking like...that. Or can he?" The guardian directed his terror-filled gaze at Error.

The black skeleton rubbed the back of his skull thoughtfully:

"He's a nightmare. You should be telling me whether it's normal for him or not. His second father isn't a harmless dandelion, and neither am I."

"Inherited aggression? Leave it," Ink didn't believe him. "He just really loves you."

"And he tries to help with the power of his intelligence," frowned Dream. "Your son has seen lots of bad dreams. He already knows about a lot of things that little children shouldn't know about. He has seen violence of all sorts and, I think, he doesn't know the meaning of good and bad. He sees no difference."

"In other words, we need to explain this difference to him?" understood Ink.

"And the faster the better. He may find Night any day."

Dream, Ink and Error shared a meaningful look.

Since that day, they began to purposefully teach Radier to understand good and evil. And, mainly, they tried to draw a line between those meanings. Only the little child managed to find a neutral border and, more than once, forced the adults to grab their heads.

"Stealing is bad? But the mother from that story stole to feed her children. If she didn't steal, her children would've died," Radier was looking at Ink in confusion. "You said that death is bad as well. So what's the difference? No one got hurt because a couple of bread loaves went missing?"

Ink's eyelights went out, he remembered that time when this lump of grey bones couldn't talk. How simple everything was back then. Feed him, put him to bed — and no problems. But now the view of the world hatched, and nothing could be done about it. It was the child's own one.

Radier saw the world as grey, in the better sense of the word. And by the time he was two years old, he had an opinion for everything.

"Is he growing too fast?" Ink was surprised.

"Physically?" Dream threw a look at the tired Error and the little hurricane by his feet. The child was playing with cars and other toys, basically behaving like an ordinary child. "No, everything's normal. But psychologically speaking, he's rushing too much."

"And his view of the world is, oh, too adult-like. As if he's getting ready to take the nightmare's post as early as possible." 

Dream was twisting his staff in his hands and thoughtfully looking at its glowing edges.

"Maybe he can take it earlier?" he offered.

"I thought that you were too worried for Nightmare and wanted to put off the inevitable?" Ink looked at his friend in surprise.

"I did," Dream put away the staff and smiled sadly, "but I understand: it's inevitable. So let it all happen as soon as possible."

"I get it. Well. We can try after two years."

Error threw a worried look at the guardians and returned it to the child. He still didn't know if he was doing the right thing, dooming his son to the least enviable fate of a guardian of negativity.


	37. The Results Of Disobedience

Nightmare was furious. He had let so much out of his sight and hadn't prevented so much. The little nightmare, it seemed, was his brother's son. How?! When did his bright angel-brother manage to become a hero-lover that made someone pregnant? And so successfully that his spawn doesn't bring love and peace but nightmares and negativity?!

Killer was trying to calm down his boss as much as he could. He followed him around, came up with excuses and just tried to distract him. During this, Virus was standing aside, eating a sandwich and enjoying the circus. All suited him: whether it was going out for business or sitting in the castle. This skeleton had his own reasons for being in Night's team. But he wasn't going to tell them to anyone.

Finally, Nightmare got tired of pacing around and being angry. He sat into an armchair and grabbed his head. He needed to think. How was this child a threat to him?

First of all, there should only be one lord of nightmares. There shouldn't be another one, or else he'll take the next place in the relay race. Nightmare didn't want to give away his power, authority and position.

But there was something else. Some thought on the edge of his consciousness. Something that evoked more worry than the possibility of losing his status of the one and only.

Nightmare tried to catch the slippery thought by its tail, but it was briskly running around his skull and didn't want to be caught. And then the lord of nightmares tried to sneak up to it from the other end. He asked himself: what will happen if the guardians have a new nightmare? And then answered: there will be one guardian of positivity and one guardian of negativity.

The troublesome thought came out of its hideout and began to walk closer, it could now be inspected but it still wasn't understandable.

"Think, Night, think. What can be done if you have two guardians of the opposite emotions?"

And then it dawned on Nightmare. He leaped up from the armchair and, not being timid with his phrases, expressed his emotions:

"Those motherfuckers are going to resurrect Dreamtale!!!"

Killer and Virus glanced at each other: for the both of them, death and the resurrection of any world wasn't something new.

"Well, let it be resurrected then," shrugged Virus.

"Fools!" snarled Nightmare at them and his tentacles pointed their sharp tips at his servants. "If that happens, the world will restart with new data, and I will not only lose my position of a guardian of negativity but all my powers too. And also…" he went quiet, shivered and his face fell. He looked at his hands that were covered with the black hate and clenched them into fists. "I will become my former self. I will lose all that I've become. And I can't let that happen."

"What do we do, boss?" Killer already knew the answer, as he had brought out his knife.

"We need to find that kid and get rid of him," Nightmare straightened out and a mad smile played up on his face. "Preferably in front of his father. I will drink my brother's pain like an expensive wine."

The defence of the closed worlds was improved more than once. Error applied his knowledge of code to this, while Ink — his creative abilities. Now, two people were walking around dreams with little Radier. Error stood for his right to look after the child in dreams, saying that Radier listened to him the most.

Even though Radier's ambition to find and injure his second father caused many problems, he was controllable. For now.

The guardians knew: Nightmare was looking for the little nightmare, and will kill him if he finds him. Even if he found out that the child was his son, it probably wouldn't stop him.

There was the idea to turn Radier's attention to something else. But nothing could distract the little nightmare for enough time. And then Ink chose a fateful decision:

"What if I teach him my skills?"

"Did you eat too much zephyr?" Error was so surprised by Ink's offer that he almost tore a page of a world. He inspected the universe closer and put it back, and only then explained his indignation: "He's a nightmare, not a creator!"

Ink shrugged and said something unexpected:

"But he's your son. And you're an unexpectedly creative person."

Error blushed. Everyone knew about his love for knitting and puppet-making. And what wonderful things he could make out of his strings…

"Do whatever you want," he waved him off, not wanting to hear more praises towards his creative abilities. "Maybe it will distract him."

It did distract… It distracted everyone…

"Hold him!!!"

"You hold him!!!"

"Never!!!"

"Mommy, it has teeth!!!"

"What the fuck even is that???"

The three guardians were in defensive positions. Blue — on the chandelier, Dream — on the wardrobe, Ink — on the table. Error managed to run away to the second floor and was now swearing, looking at what was happening through the banisters.

This nightmare began completely innocently. In a dream, Ink offered Radier to add something from himself, and the other agreed to diversify the poor person's nightmare with spawn of his magic. If believing Ink's description of those spawns, the person who had that dream would've been carted off to the nuthouse after they woke up.

The problems began when Ink moved the lessons of creating to reality. It turned out that Radier can create nightmares not only in dreams. And, unfortunately, the creatures he created weren't illusions. The gnawed chair, which Dream was defending himself with, was the evidence of that.

The first creature of unknown appearance and species was quickly dispelled and Radier got a lecture on the theme of "it's not allowed to set any scary monsters on friends and family".

The child nodded with a smart look and seemed like he understood everything and won't do it again.

No one suspected that Radier would use his new powers to run away from under supervision and look for the octopus-man outside of dreams. He waited until all the guardians were in the house, and materialised something toothy, clawed and very carnivorous. And then he disappeared.

"Quick, we need to get rid of this thing!" yelled Ink, trying to hit the creature with his brush.

"I'm trying!" answered Blue, aiming bones at the nightmare.

"Did anyone see where Radier went?!" Error shouted from the second floor. "I'm trying to catch him!"

"I think he went into your Void!" Dreams answered, aiming at the creature with his bow. "It was all white and empty there. Hurry!"

Error created a portal and hurried to find his son, not forgetting to scan the surrounding code while at it. What if Nightmare was near? Only he wasn't in the Anti-Void. Where else was it white and empty? He dashed into the dimension of the sketches but didn't see his wandering son there either. Returned into Ink's Void — not there either. Where else could be white empty space?

Panicking, Error opened ten portal windows randomly, but didn't feel Radier's presence anywhere. And only then he remembered: yes, there was another deserted and partly white place! And there he found his son, and not alone.

Before, Radier never traveled to different universes alone. He learned to open portals only a couple of days ago, but didn't want to enter them. And now, he did. He wanted to go to the realm of sketches, where his parents went in the mornings and rarely took him with them, but didn't end up there at all.

He looked around. Dark space with a light patch and a lonely figure in the centre of a small flower meadow. But it wasn't the octopus-man. It was someone more small and more pretty.

A little girl was weaving a crown out of buttercups. She carefully twined every flower in and soon was about to complete the crown. But the space shuddered and the crown fell apart, all the flowers coming back to their places.

Radier hesitantly approached her. He had already seen children and even skeleton-children, but he never got to see anyone besides "mama" who was covered with glitches. The girl's left eye was completely covered by glitches.

"Hello."

The girl jumped and turned around.

"Hello," she asked in surprise. "Where did you come here from?"

"What is "here"?" 

"This is the Save Screen," smiled the girl. "I live here with Ma...Papa. My name is Shino. What about you?"

"Radier. I live in the Void."

"Wow!" Shino's eye lit up with uncovered admiration. "In that very empty white nothing?"

"Well, there's lots of white nothing and also my papa's house."

"Who is your papa?"

"Ink. He's the guardian of the Multiverse. Isn't it great?" Radier couldn't not be proud of whom he considered to be his father and put all that pride into his answer.

"Yeah!" Shino was almost glowing, and she wanted to share some of her pride as well. "My papa is Death. He's very powerful and very important, even though no one likes him."

The girl clearly waited fear from her new companion after her words, but Radier surprised her:

"That one in the cloak and with the scythe, that takes everyone away? Wow! Cool! Why doesn't anyone like him?"

"Well…" Shino shrugged at a loss. "Maybe because no one wants to die."

"My mom's not very liked either," admitted Radier. "He's now different to how he was before, I heard. But he had caused a lot of problems before."

"Who's your mama?"

"The destroyer of worlds."

Shino gasped from surprise, but didn't get scared either. She noted:

"That means my papa and your mama have often seen each other at work."

"Yes. Maybe. And, probably, Death wasn't happy that my mama gave him more work to do."

The children laughed, while Error, who was listening to them, took a heavy hit to his mental health. Two little kids, neither were more than two years old, talking about such topics — this wasn't for the weak-hearted. 

"Right, time to wrap up this circus" decided the black skeleton, and appeared behind his son's back.

"Radier! Home! Now!"

The little nightmare jumped, and if he had fur, it would've been standing on end. He immediately remembered in what circumstances he had left his house, and swallowed. He tried to jump into the portal on tiptoes, but got a speeding-up smack with a palm on his guilty bottom.

"I said now!"

Before following him into the portal, Error turned to the cowering Shino and asked her politely:

"When your father returns, ask him to immediately come to Ink. Immediately!"

"Okay, uncle Error."

Error grunted, gave an approving look to the girl, and thought that he already knows what he'll distract his son from looking for the octopus.

Shino followed the black skeleton with her gaze and, when the portal closed, was sad once again. She was left alone again.


	38. Reaper

Radier was standing in a corner while his parents and the guardians were deciding what to do. Dream was insisting on limiting Radier in magic like it was the only possible option at the time. Ink was against anything like that, as he was afraid of hurting his son while he was still developing. There, he had learned to open portals. Error was silent, picking over his thoughts in his head. Blue hesitantly supported both sides.

The argument continued, until someone knocked on the door.

The guardians glanced around and armed themselves.

"Open it, Ink, it's about our child."

Now everyone looked at him in terror.

"You told someone that you're alive?" Dream grabbed his head.

"Did someone see you?" Ink was horrified.

"Just open the door, stars!"

Blue was the first to come to the door and peeked out of the little window. Immediately, he recoiled and whispered:

"Death is there."

"Whose?" Ink didn't immediately understand.

"Just death. Reaper, that is."

"For whom?" Dream twitched. He never heard of that unsociable skeleton going to visit someone without a reason. And the reason was always deadly.

Waving a hand at the alarmists, Error opened the door himself:

"Come in."

The reaper himself stepped into the house. All in black, with a scythe in his hand, and the aura of inevitable death. And he immediately looked at Radier in his corner. Radier looked at him too, at first with distrust, then with surprise and finally with a gaze full of delight.

"So Shino wasn't lying: you really have a son, Error," the guest addressed the black skeleton.

"Yeah, and hello to you too. I assume you didn't believe the rumors about me kicking the bucket from the last few years?"

"Of course not. I would've known if something happy like that happened. Though I have a lot less work. If I had known that parental responsibilities had affected you that much, I would've asked Life to help you with this difficult job," grinned Reaper.

"I thought she wasn't delighted about Radier being born."

To this, Death shrugged and said:

"The balance worried her. It always does."

"So I assume I need to thank you?"

"Well, I only told her that I wasn't going to take your child. But, in any case, she wouldn't have gone that far and she wouldn't have hurt a newborn soul."

"But she made us worry."

The others watched the dialogue of the two powerful Sanses with uncovered shock. The guardians knew that Error and Reaper occasionally met, but they knew nothing of their relations. They thought that they might be negative, because Error added more work for Reaper. Now they were in doubt.

"So you and Geno have a daughter?"

Reaper barely noticeably shuddered from the mention of his beloved one. And he moved his gaze:

"Yes. We have a daughter. She's almost two years old," this was said overly sadly for it to be good news. And only then Error realised that he didn't see Geno at the Save Screen, only Shino. And if Geno couldn't leave the Save Screen, then he…

"She's a pretty girl," the black skeleton tried to smooth the sadness and hurried to direct the conversation to the direction he needed. "So she's called Shino? My one's called Radier. Hey, Radier, come here!"

The child readily ran from his corner and started to delightedly jump around Reaper like around a decorated Christmas tree.

"Umm…" Death effaced himself. "Will he touch me?"

"He's a born resident of the Void," grinned Error. "Your magic doesn't work on us."

As if affirming it, Radier began to touch, even looked under the hem of the cloak. He hung on the scythe, felt the wings and got a feather for memory. Error had to take the restless nightmare into his arms.

"Well then," continued the destroyer, "what do you think about your daughter getting a friend like this?"

"Why do you need that?" Reaper was suspicious. He hid his wings, away from trouble.

"I'm hiding him from Nightmare. And the Save Screen is like a place to hide and you can be a guard for me."

Death's eye twitched from such arrogance:

"At least you're honest," he grunted.

"Can I be friends with Shino?" Radier cut into the conversation. "She's very nice!"

Reaper was touched and, shrugging, said:

"Of course. Come over tomorrow. She'll be very happy to see you. Goodbye, Error. Tomorrow you can tell me everything in detail. For now, I need to get back to work."

Reaper left, and Error was surrounded by the shocked and scared faces of the guardians.

"What? You didn't think that I'm in conflict with the gods?"


	39. Intimacy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is NSFW.

Radier was very happy about being allowed to be with Shino and couldn't sit still the next day, he was bursting with feelings. And when he was at the Save Screen again, he immediately hugged the girl and began to babble with her about something. He was so immersed in it that he didn't notice the adults' departure.

"Well, I think you'll be able to look after him," said Error when they left the Save Screen.

"Don't worry," nodded Reaper. "No one has escaped from me so far."

"I hope I'll be the first," smirked Error, but then suddenly frowned and asked: "And Geno didn't escape from you either?"

All of Reaper tensed, his wings crumpled as if from immense pain, and he shook his head:

"Not exactly. In fact, he was never born."

"What do you mean?"

It seemed that sorrow and humility itself was mounted onto death's back, for he had hunched over so much. His voice became croaky and dull:

"I told him: don't do it. Told him: it's a risk! But he didn't listen to me and left the clot on his bones. And the stronger our little girl became, the worse it was for Geno. Day after day, she literally consumed him. And when she was born, he could barely move. He was dying. And I had to grant his last wish. He never wanted to be a hostage of the Save Screen."

"Hold on! But you didn't tell him that you could do that? You didn't tell him that you found a way to make a full reset and help Sans to not make the mistakes of Aftertale?!"

Reaper smiled sadly:

"If I did tell him, he'd have left me a long time ago. And he didn't care that he'll stop existing, that the developing universe, where he might reappear, will be gone. He'll never exist again," a tear rolled down death's cheekbone. "But he would've died in any case. So he gave everything he had to his daughter. But I just wanted him to exist at least as a part of Aftertale Sans. And I made the true reset."

Error looked away. Probably, if he had the chance to be a normal Sans again, he would've taken it. Or, at least, in the past, not now, when he had a family. Speaking of which:

"What about Shino?"

"I thought that she'd die as well. But when I returned to the Save Screen, that little bundle in the scarlet scarf was lying there and squeaking. A tiny skeleton that looked so much like him, because of which my loved one was no more."

"Do you hate her?"

"What? Of course not!" Reaper's feathers stood on end. "How can I hate her? I love my little girl and look after her as much as I can."

"Can she not leave the Save Screen? Why do you keep her there?"

Reaper frowned:

"The thing is, I don't know whether she can or not. She's not connected to any of the universes, but has no link to the Void either. I don't even have an hourglass with her name!" Reaper shocked the other. "It's as if she doesn't exist at all. But she still lives and always talks about her own thing. Only have to read books to her and talk about work."

An expression of pride for his child appeared on Reaper's face, one that Error often saw on himself. He even smiled. But death's next question pushed that smile away:

"How did you become a father?"

It was pointless to lie to Reaper. It's better to tell how it is, and hope for help. Let him know whom he shouldn't let near the Save Screen.

The reaper listened to the short story of the recent years with an enviable nonchalance:

"I see. But I'm still happy for you. Now you have a few more reasons to live and be happy with this life."

"Yeah. Something like that," Error struggled to agree. "I have a child, and Ink. We're playing a family, I guess."

"Playing?"

"Well," Error became embarrassed. "He's soulless…"

"Geno didn't have a full soul either, but that didn't stop us from 'playing'. I also heard that Ink is an experimenter," winked Reaper, and asked with interest: "If it's not a secret, is it true?"

"I have no idea. I never had sex with him!"

Reaper couldn't hold back his laughter, for which he got a snug housing made out of blue strings and a noose on his neck.

"Alright. I get it, don't get angry. You have a psychological trauma and all that. But a good amount of time has passed now. So here's my deathly advice," Death cut the strings apart with his scythe and smiled as widely as he could. "While your son is under my supervision, go home, take Ink into your arms, take him to your bed and fry him till a crisp edge."

The reboot didn't last too long.

"...Are you completely out of your mind? Or didn't you hear me? I can't…"

"Yes, you can," Reaper waved him off, opening a portal into a world where his client was waiting for him. "In short, don't miss your chance, glitch."

Error yelled for a bit at the closed portal. It had no effect, but he diverted his soul. He sighed and decided to go home. Radier wasn't going to go away from the Save Screen, otherwise he won't see Shino again. It suddenly became a very painful punishment for him.

Error thought about Reaper's words and listened to himself. Was he ready to try? His body said: "Yes! Please! Right now! Immediately!". But his reasoning wasn't agreeing with him: "Wait. Why are you rushing? You'll shame yourself like the last time". To this, his body noted: "Better to be ashamed than to be self-satisfying yourself again, when no one sees you. Do you want it? Then why do you deny it?"

"And, really, why?"

Full of hesitance, he returned home. Ink didn't go anywhere yet. Though, more truthfully, he wasn't going to anyway, if he was waiting for him in the living room in his home clothes.

"He's there till evening," Error told him.

"Then we're alone till evening. What do you want to do?"

Error looked at the artist. Beautiful, desirable, someone who understands him. He admired him for a bit, and decided to follow an old friend's advice.

"You," Error blushed deeply.

That answer made Ink turn off his eyelights from surprise, but, in the next moment, a smile dawned on his face and a pink vial appeared in his hands.

"I like your plan," hearts and stars danced in his eyes, "I will be very careful. Trust me."

"I do," sighed Error and let Ink lead him into the bedroom.

He didn't resist when the other laid him on the bed, covered him with kisses, undressed him, undressed himself, and only shrank a bit when the other turned him over on his stomach.

Ink kissed his back. Licked the vertebra and kissed the next one, licked it again — and went down like that till he reached the hips.

Error's soul skipped a beat. To get over himself, over the traumatic attempt from the past, over damned Nightmare with his tentacles turned out to be harder than he thought. But it was Ink before him. He won't do anything bad — to him, at least. He can make it better and help smooth over the memory of the nightmare he survived. He already has.

With those thoughts, Error didn't resist what was happening. On the contrary, he spread his legs wider and gave the lustful guardian more freedom. He felt how fingers caressed him near and slightly entered inside. Teasingly. He jerked when his lover penetrated with two at the same time, but got a pleasant kiss between his shoulder blades and felt the playful tongue somewhere between the vertebrae.

He closed his eyes and tried to hold himself together. It was hard. He tirelessly repeated in his head: "Everything is fine. Everything is good. I feel good. Nothing bad is happening". He tried to give up his thoughts and turn to the sensations, lower himself into the bodily caresses that were so gentle, so needed. There was not a single false move that could bring pain: Ink had explored him well.

The pressure was growing, and Error realised: he wanted more.

"Ink, stars damn you. Fuck me already," his voice was hoarse, lewd.

"Don't rush, let me enjoy the moment," grinned Ink and added a third finger, making Error arch his back, and bit into his neck, maddeningly pleasantly caressing the sensitive areas.

He was penetrating inside slowly, carefully, as if he could hurt the other.

"Is everything okay?" asked the guardian worriedly.

"Yes, stars damn you, don't stop."

Problems arrived with the first thrusts. At first, the black skeleton was moaning rapturously, enjoying the sensations, but then unexpectedly went quiet and started to shiver slightly.

Ink stopped with a sigh. He didn't want to end what he had barely started, but on the scales of satisfaction was his lover's mental health.

"Error? Should we stop? We already went far anywayyyyyyyyy…"

Ink suddenly appeared below, while Error straddled him. He was embarrassed, scared, worried and slightly shaking.

"No! I'm not going to stop!" he said, growling slightly. His words were full of determination, but his body continued to shiver from fear.

"O...okay," smiled Ink and playfully put his hands above his head. "Do you want to tie my hands? Maybe if you get all of the control," he arched erotically, "then you won't be scared."

Error hesitantly summoned his strings and granted his lover's wish. It really did become easier, as if he was the only one who controlled what was happening. As if he owned the other, and not being owned himself. Though that didn't change the fact that it was someone else's magic inside him.

Every movement made him tense and await pain. But, instead of pain, he felt the growing pleasure. And after a few motions, it made him give out a shameful moan. Then another one, and another.

If anyone dared to come for a visit in this hour, they would've been deafened by screams of passion and lust. Error drowned in the sinful pleasure and practically turned himself off from the rest of the world. Only after a couple of minutes, he realised that he wasn't the only one participating in the process and Ink needed attention. Then he gave him a greedy kiss. He stopped shrinking away, caressed, kissed, licked, bit down and made the skeleton, who was already burning from pleasure, choke from the sensations.

"Ah...Er...or...I...ah...going to…"

The last motions were sharp, even painful, they almost kicked the air out of the lovers but brought a maddening orgasm.

It took a while for the skeletons to catch their breath.

"Ink?"

"M?"

"Is everything really alright?"

"Even better. You're with me."

"Don't forget, I'm possessive."

Ink laughed quietly:

"And I'm happy about that. I never had sex in reality since the beginning of this story. Me and Dream closed off our relationship in dreams in that other year. So I don't plan on changing you, Error. And I'm ready to be only yours. What about you?"

"Rushing to test my haphephobia with everyone," snorted Error. "Don't be stupid. We have too much in common. And I want to have more."

Ink smiled and pressed Error to himself. He wiped drops of sweat off his back with his hand and gave him a smile full of happiness:

"There will be. I promise."


	40. Promises

Radier's birthday was celebrated at the Save Screen with an extended composition. The Stars plus Error with Dust and Death's family.

At first, Dust was wildly running away from Reaper, putting a hand over his heart and generally didn't behave very adequately. Reaper wasn't upset, on the contrary, he found it funny. And then he led him off to the side and they productively talked about something. Dust came back thoughtful and stayed like that for the rest of the party.

"Happy Birthday!"

Radier blew out all the candles on the cake, but it seemed that more were needed. He took his parents' and friends' presents. He was especially happy with Shino's timid gift — a bracelet made out of beads.

It was fun and noisy. And while the children drank lemonade, the adults were earnestly overusing the stronger drinks. Reaper had too much and confessed that one time, Geno gathered lots of Sanses for a Christmas party. And Error was there as well. He was keeping away from everyone else, detached as always, but didn't try to kill anyone and even talked a bit. That was when he had met Reaper.

Ink didn't know what to be more surprised by. In his mind, Error was always like a solitary wolf, but, after the last three years, he had to really change his understanding. It turned out that Error tried to be sociable under the pressure of loneliness and occasionally even visited parties, if he wasn't driven away from them. Confidence arrived: Error was in Nightmare's gang because of the wish to be with anybody at all.

Regardless of his severe exterior, Error was a very lonely skeleton, who endured undeserved detest because of his unpleasant but important job.

The artist looked at his lover. He was dressed in homely clothes, in a soft sweater and trousers, in his slippers that he always wore, he smiled calmly, looking at how his son and his friend raced each other in cake-eating. He looked and couldn't hold back a smile.

"Error, can I ask?" Ink pressed himself to Error and gave him a kiss on the cheekbone.

"Go ahead." 

"Are you happy?"

"Dumb question, ink stain," grinned the destroyer.

"But tell me nonetheless."

Error was lost in thought. His eyelights went out. He rebooted, then nodded.

"Yes. I never had a life like this before. For the first time, I'm happy in a long time, and I want to keep all of this the same. You, us, our friends, this life."

Ink smiled:

"Thank you. Now I won't ever regret pulling you into ALL of this and into a relationship with soulless me."

"Wow!" Error snorted, holding back his laughter. "Ink, before this, were you questioning whether you're making things better or worse than before for me?"

Ink shrugged:

"Honestly, before what happened with Nightmare, I didn't know if you were happy with your life. I only knew that you destroy worlds and that you have a bad temper. But I liked you, and I believed that behind all of that was something bigger. And I'm happy that I was right. And I'm happy that I managed to make your life better and more wholesome. And I want to stay a part of your life for as long as possible…"

"Guys," Dream suddenly cut in. "Are you really going to turn a birthday celebration into a wedding ceremony?"

Only then did the guardian and the destroyer understood that it was silent around them and the others were attentively listening to them. Error rebooted, while Ink didn't know which paint to grab, eventually got confused and fell into a stupor as well.

Reaper drank another glass of wine, then said suddenly:

"Don't move yet," and disappeared. He returned under the arm with Life. He pointed at the two skeleton statues and whispered something in Toriel's ear, after which she first looked surprised, then blushed.

Life smiled with warmth and began to approach them. Ink and Error, on the contrary, began to walk backwards. But their smiling friends tightly surrounded them and nudged them back.

Monsters' weddings were very different from humans' lush celebrations. In reality, they weren't a ceremony and not even a celebration. It was just two monsters giving each other the promise to be together and support each other, and a third person secured those promises. No rings, no outfits and other things. Only sincere words.

"If you don't want it, I can drive them away," whispered Error.

Ink shook his head and licked a bit of pink paint:

"In reality, I even want this. But I couldn't decide to propose," hearts glowed in his eyes. "You have lived through a lot of unpleasant things. And you have fully opened up to me only recently. We even started have sex very recently. I was scared to lose your trust with my careless offers. And you know that we are very unusual monsters with very unusual characteristics and we have an important job. And...and I can't love you without this," he shook the vial of pink paint in front of his lover's face and put it back.

"But even without it, I will still be important for you, and my son won't be a stranger to you. You'll still continue to respect and value me even without paints. I'm not bothered by your soullessness, Ink. If you're earnest with me, everything is okay. I'm not a young girl who needs romantic nonsense. I'm a grown monster who wants to believe in the better and know that there's someone who he is important to."

"I know. You're a brutal world destroyer who desperately reaches out towards warmth and keeps on getting scorched from reaching out. But you're my destroyer."

"And you're my guardian."

Life stood by the two skeletons and waited for them to finish talking. The crowd around them froze. The children were sitting at the side, drinking lemonade, finishing off the cake and enjoyed the sight.

Finally, Ink and Error kissed. Immediately, everyone else around them began to clap and congratulate them, while Life nodded, accepting the vows.

"Be happy," and she disappeared, taking Death, who was completely drunk, with her.

"A gift from us," Death shouted and, following Life, disappeared.

Radier finished chewing and said:

"Everything is turning out crooked in my family."

"Why?" Shino was surprised.

"Well, nothing is in order with my parents. First they had me and only after that became a couple. And they keep on hiding me from some octopus-man all the time."

"What man?" the girl asked in interest.

"An evil and a bad one. He hurt my mama. Mama only recently began to perceive news about him calmly. Before, he immediately was taken over by bad emotions."

"Is that man powerful?"

"Yep," nodded Radier, and then his face stretched out in a ravenous grin. "But I'm more powerful than him. And when we meet, I will show that to him!"

Shino only nodded at that and finished her cake. She thought for a while, and asked:

"If you're so powerful, can you do something for me?"

"What?"

"Can you take me off the Save Screen?"


	41. Shattered Dreams

Dream felt lonely. He was sitting by the remains of the great tree and looking at his hands, which seemed to be powerless to not only keep his brother close, but his beloved one as well.

Ink and Error gave each other vows. Just gave out their feelings and became even more closer to each other. Closer than Dream and Ink once were.

No, Dream was happy for Ink. But this happiness went through the sadness of the realisation that nothing in his life has changed. He stayed the giver of positive emotions that he was before. No matter which victim needed to be brought, he brought it for the sake of the others' happiness.

"When will there be happiness for me?" asked Dream and didn't get an answer.

His thoughts went from the unplanned wedding, and unexpectedly returned to his brother. The day for Nightmare's return was growing closer. And the keeper was waiting for him and scared of him. But he didn't run from him. He wanted him.

"Soon, brother, you will become who you should've been. It will be hard, I know. But I will help you. I should've helped you many centuries ago. I'm sorry that I couldn't."

Dream continued to sink into the feeling of guilt, until a portal opened up before him and Reaper peeked out of it:

"Hello, Dream!"

The guardian of positivity hiccuped. The unexpected arrival of death made him think of sad outcomes of his life.

"Are you here for me?" Dream asked half-jokingly, and almost lost his senses when he heard the reply:

"Yes," Reaper enjoyed the terror that changed to resignation on the guardian's face, and only then continued, "there's some matter that needs to be taken care of. Could you come with me? Right now. Immediately."

Reaper's voice was slightly shaking and he looked nervous as a whole. Dream felt his worry as well and he hurried into the portal. He appeared at the Save Screen and at first didn't realise: what's wrong? Only after ten seconds came the realisation:

"Where are the children?"

"I DON'T KNOW!" Reaper shouted, tearing feathers out of his wings, and he shook. "This place is locked on all locks! No one could've entered!"

"What about having exited?" the skeletons shared a look. "The children could've gone out by themselves and went for a walk?"

Reaper shook his head:

"I was too afraid of something like that happening, so there's a double defence on both the entrance and the exit! Maybe only Error could've broken through it, but only if he knew where to break!" he was speaking over the fear of understanding that if it was true and Shino went into some world, she may be no more.

Dream tried to calm down, breathed in and out, and looked at the situation from a different perspective.

Error wouldn't help his son and someone escape from being babysat, obviously. But his son was still a dark horse. He wasn't only a nightmare's son — he was also a destroyer's son. What if the little parasite taught himself to manipulate code in secret? In his mind. First to develop the skills, then begin to use it left and right and only after that ask: what is it for?

But how did Radier know where to hit to break the defence? Supposedly, Shino knew and told him.

"They ran away," concluded Dream.

Reaper made a sound that was like a dying wheeze, and asked:

"Where?"

"How do I know? I'll try to find them now."

Dream concentrated as much as he could and started the search for negativity in various universes. If Shino did die, Radier should've been suffering and it wouldn't be hard to find him. If she was alive, which is what the two skeletons were hoping for, then it would be more difficult to locate them but they wouldn't have to shed tears before doing so. Dream didn't find the children, instead, found Nightmare, who was rushing somewhere…

"Reaper!"

"Yes?"

"Keep your scythe at the ready: it seems that it's not only us who are looking for the children, but my brother as well."

To run away from the Save Screen turned out to be surprisingly easy. Well, at least, it seemed so to Radier, who easily found and went through the defence, bringing his friend through it.

Shino froze. She didn't know if she'd live if she crossed the border of the Save Screen, and was afraid to disappear. She'd bring pain to her father and Radier. But she was more afraid of staying in the same place and never opening the much loved Life than bringing pain to others. Life that was full of colour, full of change and journeys.

She was like Geno in that way. He went on to a risk as well, which led him to imprisonment, meeting Reaper and giving birth to a child. And then her second father disappeared from her life. He didn't die in the normal sense of the word: he never existed. But...he still did, right?

With her soul stopping, Shino made the fateful step and couldn't believe it: she was alive! Radier was happy with her, even though he somehow knew that nothing was going to happen with his friend.

The children looked around.

"Where are we?" The little nightmare had the idea of the original Undertale and the multitude of its alternatives, so he thought that they were in the original in a Pacifist run. The monsters had come up on the surface and were living amongst humans.

"This is Aftertale," explained the girl. She continued to hold her friend's hand with a slightly shaking palm and still couldn't believe in this miracle. "We just left the Save Screen into the world itself."

She was no longer a prisoner and her father's fears turned out to be pointless. She was alive! She doesn't have to live only in that miserable place. And she also can see Geno, or rather someone who didn't become him.

"Can you help me with another thing?" she asked.

"Of course. We're still getting punished for this, so why should we stop here?" Radier smiled carelessly. "What do you want?"

"To see my papa. The other one."

Radier knew his friend's history, but couldn't understand: why?

"Is he your father though?"

"No, but he could've been him."

"As much as any other Sans could've been. Now, he's still a stranger."

"I know," Shino looked at him with eyes full of tears and said: "I just want to make sure."

"It will be painful," Radier warned her.

"Yes it will," Shino knew it as well.

The children were in the woods, but they reached the city quickly, and found themselves on a street full of humans and monsters. Searching for Sans seemed to be an unsuccessful activity, like finding a needle in a haystack. But Shino, like a little train, was dragging along her friend, who wasn't shy to use his arm-shadows and protect himself and his friend from the rushing adults. He even liked their indignation: it gave him more power.

The children were searching thoughtlessly and randomly. They didn't talk with anyone, if anyone tried to approach them they quickly walked away or used magic. And they had to do it often: too much attention was attracted by two small children walking around a city without their parents. Especially skeletons. Only two other monsters of their species lived in the city. So, soon the one who the children were looking for had found them instead.

"Whose are you, little ones?"

Shino didn't believe her eyes. She watched her second father through "screens", she saw how he had gone up on the surface, she saw how he finds his place in the new world, how he builds his happy future...in which there was no place for Shino and Reaper.

He didn't even know about them. And he shouldn't find out about them.

Radier saw how his friend tugged at the hem of her dress, how she shrinks from pain of unsaid words, how tears flowed down her face. He sensed her pain and wanted to take away such a bitter feeling, but he didn't dare to. He knew: Shino needs to go through this, get over it, and then she'll be able to let go of the impossible future.

Seconds went by, and no miracle happened. Sans continued to look at his daughter in surprise, but without the parental warmth that Shino had so hoped for.

"Let's go home," said Radier when he understood that his friend wasn't able to say a word.

The girl simply nodded and looked away from her second father.

Sans tried to stop the children, he didn't want to let them go to unknown places. But he didn't have time to say a word, as terrible victorious laughter rang out over the city.

"Found you!!!"

Goosebumps ran up Radier's back. He immediately bared his teeth, and terrible claws appeared on his shadow arms. He hadn't even seen the octopus, but he knew that he was close.

Before the children could do anything, Sans grabbed them, pulled them close and put a barrier of giant blasters around them. Immediately, a few attacks hit them. From one side, a pillar of bones hit them, from the left, a toxic knife slashed through the air, and something slimy and dark appeared in front.

"There you are, you little wretch!"

Radier hissed, tried to escape from the embrace, but Sans didn't dare to let go of the children, he pressed them closer and watched in terror how he was surrounded by...his own copies!

Different, horrible, evil, intoxicated. He didn't know what to call them properly, he only knew that they weren't someone that he'd want to become. From their level of massacre, his soul froze in terror. How much pain had they inflicted, how many have they killed?!

The barrier of blaster and bones couldn't hold back the next hit and Sans teleported. He ran like he had never ran before past houses, people, cars, anywhere to get as far away as possible. But the others were catching up with him. He dodged attacks and didn't attack back because he held the children, which were needed by the other Sanses for some reason in his arms.

People around them were suffering, houses collapsed, screams could be heard, but Sans didn't dare to get distracted. He had to save the children.

"Go away!" growled Sans, teleporting yet again, and dodging the others' magical attacks. He knew that he'll soon be exhausted, and then…and then he'll die. And those children will too.

Radier had tried to open a portal anywhere many times, but couldn't. Someone had closed off the world and the child couldn't find a weak spot in the defence and he started to get angry, and the angrier he became, the stronger he felt. Finally, the little nightmare stopped trying to escape. He suddenly went still and hung in the arms of the older skeleton. And then the other Sanses began to fall behind. How could you not fall behind if unexpectedly your nightmares come alive and proclaim a war on you?

Killer was pursued by himself, Virus — by someone who was trying to hug him. And it was good that they were busy and didn't see who appeared before their boss. Nightmare was ready to eat his own tentacle for lunch, he was so surprised by the Dream that suddenly appeared before him. He looked all wrong. His gaze was glassy, his voice was quiet, there was no weapon in his hands. The appearance of his brother alone made the nightmare stop in his tracks. He became terrified when his brother suddenly pulled out a black apple and began to eat it.

"Stop! You don't know what you're doing!!!"

The other didn't stop, and, soon, his way was blocked not by Dream, but by someone dark, with tentacles and still with that dead gaze. On his face a mad and painful smile appeared.

"You wanted this, brother!"

And then the illusion disappeared. Instead of it arrived the real Dream, and with him — Death himself with an unsheathed scythe. A very angry Death.

"Shit!"

Nightmare had never left the battlefield so quickly, even when Ink had too much yellow and pink and had made restless attempts to share his mood with him.

During all this time, the children were with Sans. Shino clung to him like a little monkey, while Radier, when he had regained himself, stopped trying to escape and was just frowning.

Reaper was the first to approach Sans. He looked sad and confused as he did so.

"Don't worry, I'm not here for your soul. I'm here for my daughter. Let's go, Shino. We're going to have a very long talk."

Reluctantly, the girl crawled down from Sans's arms, gave him a last, tearful look and slowly went to her father. She took his hand and they disappeared. Sans looked at them and didn't dare to blink. He tried to say something or call out to any of them, but he couldn't. He didn't know any names.

"Radier, follow me. Your parents are going to be beside themselves with anger!" Dream called his nephew.

The little nightmare sighed, agreeing with his fate and, too, gave Sans a sad look. He didn't believe that this skeleton had suddenly remembered his daughter, but Shino wanted to believe in her fable, and he was sad that his friend's wish couldn't be true.

Soon, all the guests had left Aftertale, and, after an hour, Ink showed up and promptly got rid of the aftermath of the battle. But Sans was still feeling knocked down for a long time. He continued to think about those he had seen and was getting lost in the feeling that he had forgotten something very important. Probably one of the resets, or maybe a dream, or maybe a nightmare, but there was someone in it, someone he had lost forever.


	42. Tangled Code

After that incident, for a long time Ink and Error were very angry at their son, who not only disobeyed them and risked his life, but also endangered Shino's life!

All in all, Radier literally made himself at home in the corner. And his parents pointedly didn't pay attention to his crying: you misbehaved, so you must pay for it. And, no, don't call nightmares for a visit. You're grounded.

For a long time, Radier stood in the empty living room, until Ink heard some noises and came in to check up on his son. He was surprised to see not only one child, but two.

Shino was standing near Radier and, like him, thoughtfully inspected the wall in front of her, full of sadness and regret. And, with quiet whispering, talked with her accomplice.

"Shino? Why are you here?"

"Papa said that if he," a short nod at Radier, "taught me to walk around universes, then you'll be looking after me, while Papa strengthens the defence. And there's no corners at the Save Screen anyway."

Ink smacked his forehead and called his spouse to evaluate this addition.

Error looked at the children with a long and calculating look and then raised his eyes to the ceiling:

"Gods of Reapertale, I hope that she is not the gift that they promised us. I won't be able to get over that," hearing the guardian's laughter, Error nudged him with his elbow. "Well, what if they really want to give a child to us?"

"Personally, I wouldn't be against becoming a mother," smiled Ink.

"And be running around pregnant on the battlefield? Leave it! We have enough work for now with the worlds, Nightmare and Radier."

"I know," Ink waved him off. "Let me daydream about it. You know about my problem."

The adults left the room and the little plotters glanced at each other:

"Well, how are you?"

"Papa was very upset," admitted Shino. "He didn't even punish me."

"That's good. Isn't it?"

"It would be better if he did. Maybe that would've made things easier for him. He was only crying. And my other father… Radi, I think I did something wrong. It hurt him to look at me."

The little nightmare cast his eyes to the ceiling and, after thinking, said:

"Maybe you're right. You did something wrong, but if you didn't do anything at all, you would have regretted that. Is that right?"

"But now I regret that I did do anything."

"Every cloud has a silver lining. Now you don't have to live only at the Save Screen."

"Yeah," a smile appeared on the girl's face. "Papa said that he'll take me to Reapertale," then she dropped her gaze. "But he promised you a lifelong ban on visiting the Save Screen."

Radier swallowed, but made a look like he wasn't worried by the threat at all.

Meanwhile, Nightmare was fuming in a different world universe. He was so close to the little nightmare, to the offspring of his hated brother, but didn't manage to kill him. He didn't manage to kill a two year-old! How?!

Virus habitually dodged a table that flew at him, while Killer had already hidden behind the couch before this storm began. Both listened to the boss, obediently agreed with everything and waited till the other's fuse burned out. Finally, Nightmare sat on an offered chair and rubbed his hurting head.

"Everything's gone to hell! If we don't eliminate that kid, Dreamtale will get a chance for a reset. And then…" and then what? Will he disappear? Fully possible. At least, as the one he is now, and, instead, there will be that mistake that he used to be: a weakling who couldn't defend himself.

"Boss," Killer crawled out from behind the couch and approached him, "maybe we should start working on them for real?"

"As if we weren't doing so before," grumbled Nightmare and understood: they were. All of their power was enough to cardinally turn the balance around. "You're right: it's time to stop all games. If the guardians want a war, they'll get one."

What happened two days after shook the Multiverse. Like Ink proposed at the beginning, Virus had lots of dangerous skills. But even he couldn't imagine that they'd be way more dangerous than Error's ability to control souls.

Ink was pulled out of his house in the middle of the night: a signal came from the less popular but actively developing Farmtale. No one understood what Nightmare had forgotten in there. The world was neutral and closer to positivity: a bad feeder of negative emotions. But the lord of nightmares had specifically gone to it.

Or not him?

"Dream, are you sure that your brother is there?" Ink asked while walking.

"I sense him there, but I understand your doubts. The emotions are too strange in that universe. First a burst of negativity, then a sharp turn to pacification. And now the world looks broken."

"Guys, I don't like it," Blue cut in and suddenly stopped. "It looks like a trap."

Immediately, they all stopped and thoughtfully shared a look.

"Blue has a point," Ink rubbed his chin. "Dream, the residents are very calm right now. Calmer than usual in that world?"

Dream listened into himself and nodded:

"Yes, suspiciously calm. It seems that they're being manipulated from the outside. But my brother isn't capable of that, and neither is Killer."

"And we don't know what Virus is capable of," Blue continued to develop his thought.

Ink tutted:

"We didn't find his world, we didn't find any information about him, he showed only a little of his skills in battle. Yep, a dark horse. There's nothing worse than having an enemy with powers you don't know anything about."

The friends were thoughtfully silent, thinking about from which side to approach the problem. Ink leaned towards the thought of not getting involved, but decided not to speak about it. He still hadn't told the others that he allows Error to erase some worlds. He was already assured that Error didn't destroy anything that shouldn't be — at least, while he was living with him. And his actions didn't damage the Multiverse, they seemed to heal it.

Ink didn't know, but Dream was also tilting towards thoughts of not interfering. Who knew what trick his brother had come up with? Let him know that no one is walking into his trap and he'll go back home.

Blue, despite everything, wanted to act, but didn't know how to save everyone.

The guardians continued to shuffle in one place until they came to their decision. They approached the world as closely as possible and opened a window to have a look at what was going on in it. What they saw made an impression.

The residents looked idiotically passive and were doing everyday nonsense. Literally. Nonsense! Sans was shepherding the fence, Toriel was digging in the floor in a house, Asgore was talking to a wall, Papyrus wandered in a cornfield, trampling out circles, other residents decided to refuse walking upright and started to moo and crawl on all fours. And all the residents were doing this with idiotic grins and glassy eyes.

Only Frisk looked normal. She was staring at the mad monsters with terror and trying to reset the world, but no matter how many times she pressed the button, it didn't work.

"Is this really Farmtale, and not Psychotale or some other universe that has gone off its head?" Ink checked the address again. "No, this is it."

"Maybe the author was…" Dream tried to find the right word, but Blue got there before him:

"High."

Ink looked again and crossed out that possibility with grief:

"I had seen this world recently. And it was normal."

"So the manipulation is from the outside?"

"Yes."

Blue noticed with surprise that the fence, which Sans was shepherding, moved and plodded into the field.

"It's as if the world's been eaten by viruses," he said.

Immediately, the friends looked at each other and simultaneously said:

"Virus!"

"It seems that it's not just a name," summarised Ink. "Somehow he has tangled up the files, and I don't think his powers stop there."

"Alright, but what are we going to do?" grimaced Dream. He couldn't imagine how to handle something like this. 

"Here's what we'll do," Ink pointed at Blue. "Scout around the place and once you find Frisk, ask them to reset the world. If it doesn't work, bring them here."

"Yes, sir!" the young guardian jokingly saluted and hurried into the portal.

"I'm going with him!" Dream tried to follow the other, but Ink held him by the elbow.

"Don't poke yourself out: Nightmare will sense you immediately."

He had to stay with Ink and watch what was happening through the window and pass the waiting time with conversations.

"How is it with you and Error?"

"It's going slowly. In fact, pretty well. The more time we spend together, the closer we become. Though sometimes it's still difficult with him. But with Radier it's just difficult. I never thought that raising a child could be so hard. He's a born resident of the Void and an entity with great power. And I look at him and remember how I was when I appeared in the Multiverse," Ink rubbed his face, as if trying to run off the rush of old memories. "Mistakes that I made and can't fix, — they didn't go anywhere. And I want to keep Radier away from repeating my fate."

"Unlike you, he won't experimentally erase universes to check the balance and drink paint in gulps to check its capabilities," Dream remembered some frightening things, which he had caught the other doing.

"He won't," sighed Ink, and gloomily offered: "But to infest the Multiverse with nightmares — he can do that, if he wants to."

"Well, then the parents' job is to precisely make sure that he doesn't follow my brother's footsteps. And it's working well. Radier is a cute little nightmare."

"Let's hope that he'll stay like that, no matter what happens."


	43. Coincidence

Blue was careful. He could be a champion of justice just as much as a quiet scout behind the lines of that justice. Being small, he could often go where others couldn't. Having grown up in the snow of Snowdin, he was able walk silently and find secret places.

The young guardian remembered where he saw Frisk through the window, so the search for the human didn't take long.

"Hey, kid! Come here!" he called out of the lush berry bushes.

The already nervous Frisk didn't pay attention to the call, but when he did, he was very surprised.

"Hello. Are you more or less normal?"

"Yeah, what happened here?"

Frisk gestured:

"They went mad."

"And did you see anyone help them with that?"

Frisk shrugged.

"When I came around, they were already like that."

Blue nodded to his thoughts and asked:

"Does the reset not work?"

"What do you think?!" The human was pressing the button like crazy, but it didn't react.

"Then follow me, only quickly and quietly."

Frisk shrugged: what are they losing? Their world has gone mad, some new skeleton that knows about resets appears and calls them to unseen places. It can't get worse than this. Deciding, the human approached the bushes and stretched out their hand. Meanwhile, the young guardian uncorked the ink bottle and was ready for the traveling through ink, when he was caught.

Literally, by the hand. Frisk, who was normal a second ago, suddenly turned into Chara and tightly grabbed the young guardian by his arm. He was bringing down a knife with the other.

The ink bottle fell out of his hand and a bone appeared instead and blocked the knife. He didn't have time to get himself out of the way and got a kick into his stomach, or rather his bare spine. He cried out, bent over and immediately got a hit to his back. Luckily, not with the knife's blade, but the handle.

The young guardian tried to pull himself out of Chara's grip, wanted to hide in the bushes to get some time, to recover and run into the fields and wait there for his friends. But then something frightening happened. The villagers of Farmtale suddenly started to come closer. All like one, with mad smiles and glassy eyes, they were walking towards the skeleton that Chara had caught. Garden forks, rakes, shovels and scythes were threateningly gleaming in their hands.

"Stop!" Blue was shouting, not stopping his attempts to escape, but only got new punches. "We've come to help! Please, stop!"

But the monsters continued to walk and their aim couldn't be peaceful. Blue felt like a little animal, chased into a trap, and was about to be skinned. And his only chance to survive would be to become a predator. But Blue didn't want to. It would be better to die.

"Don't!" he cried out in desperation and shrank into himself. But then be heard his friends' voices:

"Blue! Hold on!"

The voices gave him strength and he, finally, managed to tear himself out of Chara's grip. He stunned him with a hit of a bone to the head and stepped back deeper into the bushes. He passed the first few happily grinning monsters and dodged the agricultural inventory of the other ones.

"I am!" he shouted and blocked the hit of a scythe which nearly took his head off. He wanted to climb onto the roof of a shed, but he was already awaited there.

Ink and Dream tried to come to help as fast as they could, but it turned out to be a difficult task to break through the crazy villagers but not to injure them while doing so. And when Ink was thinking of just sweeping them off to the side, the main instigators of this mess appeared on the battlefield.

"Who do I see here?" drawled Nightmare. He was standing not too far from Blue, because of which the young guardian dashed aside, giving all of his attention to the sharp tentacles and letting his rearview out of sight. And Killer was waiting for him there.

Blue's cry of pain made his friends act more harshly. Ink had used a lot of magic, but bundled the majority of the residents in ink, while Dream forced the rest to fall asleep. When they came nearer, they saw a terrifying picture: Blue was lying on the ground; injured and leaking with blood, he had difficulty fighting back Killer, who continued to cut him up. And Nightmare was standing nearby, looking pleased, as if he had already won.

Dream immediately pulled back his bowstring, while Ink looked around. He didn't see Virus and that worried him. But there was no time for thinking: their friend needed saving.

Nightmare easily dodged the arrows, defended himself from the bones. Killer acted way more slyly: he put Blue in front of himself, using the young guardian as a shield. It was a miracle that no one hit him.

More villagers appeared out of nowhere. They were walking on the sleeping ones, nearly breaking their bones. Like zombies, they spared nor themselves, nor the others around them in the attempts to reach the guardians.

"Save Blue, I'll take care of your brother!" said Ink.

In the attempts to defend himself and get his friend out of the nightmares' grasp, Dream continued to shoot arrows, stun the mad villagers with bones and dreams, gradually getting closer to his friend who was taken by the enemies. The young guardian wasn't screaming anymore — he was wheezing. There were no whole places left on his body. Marks left by Killer were bleeding everywhere. And now, when the knife was raised for the final blow, Dream managed to reach them and hit Killer's shoulder with an arrow.

Killer snarled, dropped the knife, got distracted for a second, and that second was enough for Dream to pull Blue out or his arms. And then Dream just ran. He was sure that Ink would do the same. He didn't see that Ink couldn't manage Nightmare's pressure and was imprisoned.

A terrible cry made him turn around. Ink was held tight in Nightmare's tentacles, like a rag doll, broken, living out his last minutes.

Dream was standing as if rooted to the spot, unable to look away.

"So, brother," grinned Nightmare, "you don't want to see how your friend dies?"

"I don't," the keeper of good dreams dully gave out and did something that Nightmare never expected from him. He turned around, pressed Blue tighter to himself and ran away.

"Stop!!!"

Believing in something like this seemed impossible. The image of peace was crumbling, and so quickly and irrevocably that Nightmare just couldn't believe it. His brother — his proper and kind brother — has just left his best friend to die?!

The tentacles convulsively squeezed, a crunch rang out.

"Curses!" The nightmare hurriedly unclenched them, but it was too late.

Ink's head hung limply, the light in his eye sockets went out, Nightmare felt no more emotions from him.

"Boss, you broke his neck."

Nightmare saw that himself. Too late for CPR.

"What a shame such a trump card was los—!!! What the hell?!"

The body didn't dust, it flowed down the tentacles with staining ink and dripped on the ground, leaving ugly dark lines that looked like the mark from a hit of a whip on the dark body.

The nightmares were staring at the resulting puddle for a couple of minutes, waiting: what if Ink suddenly appears out of the ink, like before? Only Nightmare immediately turned away and gave a short laugh, then clenched his teeth so that it didn't turn hysteric. He had already killed the second strongest Sans. The two moving powers of the Multiverse: the destroyer and the creator. And he didn't want to kill either of them. The first was dear to him, the second was needed as a pressure lever.

"I destroy everything I touch."


	44. Antivirus

Dream couldn't teleport out of Farmtale: someone (and he could even guess who) closed off the exits. So the guardian was just running, holding his injured friend to himself and tried not to think about another one of Ink's deaths. He already knew that it had happened. That's how the soulless body is made.

But there was a chance to save Blue. The main thing was to find a secret place and stop the blood.

"Hold on, friend!"

In reply, Blue mumbled something indistinct, keeping conscious with difficulty. There were lots of knife wounds, but only a few were life-threatening.

As fast as he could, Dream ran into someone's house, got down into the basement with the speed of a fugitive that was about to be bombed from above, and got to healing his friend.

First he gave him an antidote, remembering the cause of Ink's last death. The serious wounds were closed up fast thanks to Blue himself, who stubbornly was thinking of good things, strengthening his friend's magic with it. The small cuts were just bandaged. Only Blue wasn't a warrior anymore. His head was spinning and he was standing on his feet with difficulty. If anyone attacked them, the younger skeleton wouldn't be able to defend himself.

Dream couldn't boast about having lots of power either. He used it all up on healing.

"What do we do?"

"Break through with fighting," half-jokingly said the keeper of dreams. And gloomily ended with: "We aren't expecting any help from anywhere anyway."

Blue didn't understand the meaning of those words at first: there were only two of them again. Giving out a sob, the young guardian dropped a tear, but quickly pulled himself together and smiled.

"Everything is going to be okay, Dream. Ink is immortal and he will come back to life. And even if we don't get out of this universe, he will come for us when he resurrects."

His friend's positivity made Dream regard the tragedy more simply; a shadow of a smile even flickered on his face.

"You're right, everything is going to be alright. The main thing is to not lose the beliefs in the better," he immediately frowned. "But my brother knows for sure that I'm in this world. Even though it's hard for him to know my exact location, he will search. And I can't open a portal: it seems that Virus has blocked my portals. Or there's simply not enough positive energy."

"Sorry, I need lots of magic to open a portal, but I'm empty right now."

"Don't be sorry! You're not to blame for the situation at all."

They fell silent, thinking about possibilities, but couldn't come up with anything smarter than to wait for Ink's resurrection and hope that the artist won't forget where and how he died. And also that he'll resurrect after a couple of days and not weeks, as it sometimes happens.

The backup plan was this: gather up magic for teleportation and wait for a possibility to use it. Only Dream couldn't do that, as there wasn't enough positive energy in the virus-infested world, while Blue was injured and all his magic was being used up for recovery. There was also that hope for a reset: then, in theory, it should throw out all the characters that weren't registered in the world originally into the Void.

They were sitting there, counting off minutes and hours, talked with whispers, looked around the basement and readied the places in which they could easily hide. They waited, gathering their strength. But nothing happened, until…

A creak and heavy footsteps came from above. The guardians froze, glanced at each other and prayed that it wasn't Nightmare, who could definitely sense them, up there.

The guardians quietly stepped back to some barrels and silently got behind them, hiding. They were afraid to peek out and didn't know who got down the stairs and now was prowling in the corners. But they heard how that someone trips, swears and promises all kinds of punishments to someone. And that's how it went like that until that someone stopped and suddenly fell silent. 

Then four shadows hung above Dream and Blue. Dream had time to think that they were Nightmare's tentacles, but when he looked up he saw pincers with claws. They grabbed the guardians and pulled them out of their hiding place.

They were yelling together and in a chorus. Moreover, the unknown one with the pincers was yelling as well.

While thrashing around in the claws, Dream and Blue had the opportunity to inspect the strange Sans, obviously not from this universe. He was in a green sweater with a white cross in the middle. On his face were strange green marks, like the lines on a circuit board.

"Who are you? And what are you doing in this world?" the stranger was the first to come to his senses.

"Guardians," Blue smiled nervously. Dream continued to inspect the unknown Sans in the attempts to find out which world he was from.

"Oh!" said the unknown one immediately and let them go. The pincers disappeared. "Sorry, my mistake," he smiled at them like they were old friends and promptly stretched out his hand in greeting. "I'm Antivirus. Protector of alternative universes. Pleased to meet you."

The dumbfounded friends shook the new acquaintance's hand, glanced at each other and asked with disbelief:

"Protector?"

"Yep, that's my job — to protect the worlds from viruses and different types of coding errors. Usually my job isn't dusty, so it's not surprising that we haven't met before. But I've heard about you. You work with Ink, right?" Antivirus curiously looked around, as if trying to find the third guardian.

"You're friends with Ink?" Dream didn't remember his friend talking about this strange Sans.

"No," Antivirus shook his head. "Never got to. But I heard a lot about him as well."

Hearing about Ink, Blue quickly turned the conversation to the darker representative of Voids:

"What about Error?"

Antivirus noticeably shuddered:

"Had the honour of thrashing around in his web once," he chuckled nervously. "Just about escaped. Tried to explain to him that we are colleagues, and it's not allowed to fight colleagues. He's off his rocker, basically. By the way, since that psycho disappeared, there's more work for me."

Blue and Dream didn't understand what this strange skeleton, who calls himself a protector, was talking about.

"How is the lack of the destroyer of the worlds associated with the increase in work for you?" Dream was surprised.

"Oh!" Antivirus looked very surprised. "Error got rid of outdated worlds and those where a fatal error has appeared. He also checked the stability of the normal ones. Like Virus did…. Sometime ago," Antivirus suddenly grew sad and gloom seemed to come off him.

"Hold on!" Dream put up his hands in a protective gesture. "Too much information," Blue simply nodded, looking at the new friend with badly hidden astonishment. "What are you talking about? How can destroying be helpful? And what checks? And how do you know Virus?"

Antivirus scratched the back of his skull, and he looked bewildered as he did so.

"So many questions. Okay, start at the beginning. I'll begin with Error. I don't even know how to explain this, guys. Oh!" he pointed at a barrel with apples in it. He took a few out and pulled out a knife. "From the outside, these apples are the same, but there are some with worms amongst them," and, identifying exactly which ones had worms in them, he cut the fruits in half. "If they aren't gotten rid of, the parasites will infect the whole harvest. I know, the analogy is crappy," he threw the apples over his shoulder. "But the point is that, in our Multiverse, the Creators often experiment and not all their creations are finished, finalized, good. Error is needed to clean up the mistakes after the Creators. Well, he's like a walking bin, basically. And there is more work for me without him. Viruses are forever appearing in failed worlds, and I have to manage them."

"What did you mean when you said that Error checks the worlds?" asked Blue.

"That's exactly what I mean. When a world is being destroyed, the Creators try to find any mistakes in it. And if their world is popular, it resurrects as more finalized. Something like that. You know, I'm more about the other part, because I don't know all the nuisances. And I'm surprised that you don't know about these details."

All that the guardians could do was to exchange yet another shocked look. Too much unusual information has fallen on them. Only it wasn't supported by anything. Who knows what kind of Sans this could be. What if he's another one of Nightmare's? He did mention Virus.

"What connects you and Virus?" Dream tried to ask, not showing his worry.

To this question, Antivirus suddenly stooped and looked away:

"Let's just say, we're not friends," then he raised his head to the ceiling and opened a portal. "But let's talk somewhere else. Unless, of course, you want close interaction with the nightmares."

Dream and Blue didn't. So, from the two choices, they chose to jump into a portal that led to who knows where.


	45. Vastness

Curiously enough, they appeared in the Void. This was surprising, and the guardians immediately began to look around in the search of Ink's house, but it wasn't anywhere. The realisation didn't dawn on them at first. The Void was vast, it was possible to get lost in it. If you don't know what to look for and where to look, you'll never find anyone or anything.

The arrangement of Antivirus's house looked like it was borrowed from Error's design. As walls weren't offered by his cell, they were instead shown with piled-up of seemingly unknown and even scary things. With difficulty, the guardians recognised Gaster's machine amongst them, complex computers and that thing that looked like a torture weapon turned out to be a robotic arm, which had already began to make milkshakes for everyone.

"Make yourselves at home," said Antivirus and quickly walked up to a floating panel and slapped it. It reflected a bunch of numbers. "I need to find Virus. I can't understand why he disfigured Farmtale at all."

"He's been Nightmare's gang for a while now," said Dream, continuing to look around.

"I know," answered Antivirus, not looking away from the panel. "But I can't understand the 'why' part."

"Maybe he wanted some company?" Blue naively suggested, accepting the glass with the drink from the robotic arm.

"The only company he accepts is viruses. I think he's using Nightmare for some purpose. Only what purpose?"

Dream didn't like this statement.

"Virus is very powerful, right?" he asked, tense.

"You bet," laughed Antivirus, taking his glass from the robotic arm and drinking all of the shake in one gulp.

"Very?"

"Well," Antivirus paused to think for a moment and made disappointing conclusions. "Not weaker than Error, I think. Possibly, they're equal in terms of power. But he always ran away from him. He was afraid to compare their powers, I think. After all, Error specialises in destroying code. In other words, he's the only one who's really dangerous to Virus. He can erase him forever."

"What do you mean, Error is the only one who's dangerous to him?" Dream didn't understand. He didn't touch his milkshake. "What about everyone else?"

"Even if anyone else killed that nuisance, it would still resurrect after a couple of days. Been there, done that."

Dream and Blue glanced at each other, they were very surprised by the existence of another immortal entity. Theoretically, any character can be resurrected, but before this they thought that Ink was the only one able to resurrect on his own.

"But aren't you dangerous to him?" asked Blue, first to recover from the shock.

"You bet I am," affirmed Antivirus, and a shadow appeared on his face. "But Virus knows that I don't want to kill him. And I will do everything I can to avoid any outcome like that. Therefore, he's not as afraid of me as he's supposed to be. And then Error disappeared and he went loose. Virus could always complete plans as much as make them. And the scale of threat that he can bring is unlike anything you've encountered before. You can check. By the way," Antivirus gave the robot his empty glass and asked: "Maybe you know where that black glitch is?"

The guardians seemed to tense like guitar strings and shook their heads with foolish looks on their faces.

"Did you murder him or something?" he suggested.

"No," said Blue without thinking and got a jab from Dream. The young skeleton had to correct his mistake: "As in, we didn't."

Antivirus threw a mocking look at them:

"I know he's not dead, along with the fact that Ink kicks the bucket occasionally. It's pointless to hide it from me. And, wow," he raised his hands," I'm not an enemy to you. We're doing the same thing here — looking after the Multiverse. And I'm not going to force information out of you and neither am I going to use it against you. I only wanted to ask — unless, of course, if you haven't done anything irreparable with Error — to flicker here and there so that Virus gets pacified a bit."

"Unfortunately, that's impossible," Dream decided to open the curtains to their secret a bit. "Everything is alright with Error, but we have our own game going, with his participation in it. And he can't flicker here and there for now."

Antivirus nodded:

"I understand. And you won't let me take part in your games?"

"We'll see. It needs to be discussed as a group. We don't make decisions like this on the go."

"Okay," Antivirus waved them off. "Well, I'm going to continue fixing codes. Farmtale is on me. Don't worry about its fate. I have you the access to my part of the Void. When you make your decision — get in touch with me."

He finished and disappeared. While Dream and Blue continued to stand around: one with a whole glass of milkshake, the other — with an empty one. Both were shocked with the opened secrets of the Multiverse.

Dream looked at the foam on top of the milkshake and took a drink. His level of magic immediately began to grow.

"I think, he's a good guy," smiled Blue.

"Maybe," Dream, who was full of hesitation, wasn't ready to make conclusions so soon. "He definitely has more positivity in him than negativity. In any case, that's not what worries me right now."

"What does?"

"The fact that we're going to have to tell Error about Ink's death again."


	46. Carelessness

Error was nervously pacing from one wall of the living room to the other. With a mythical sixth sense, he felt how something bad has happened to Ink. He sent Radier and Shino to play in Underswap with Dust. He promised the kids a puppet each if they behaved. The destroyer himself wasn't going to behave. He was waiting for the guardians. And he didn't know which outcome would scare him more.

Ink repeatedly told him about his unpleasant qualities and about his common deaths. He reminded the other that he can die even from a needle prick and begged him not to worry about such silly things. He assured him:

"I will resurrect quickly!"

But it was still hard for Error to agree with the possibility of getting his loved one as he was dying into his arms, or finding out about another one of his deaths. And he wasn't sure what was worse: finding out after the death has happened, or be a witness as it happens.

He didn't have to choose.

When Dream and Blue appeared before Error, both with guilty and exhausted faces, the destroyer understood everything and went into a reboot. It wasn't as long as the last time, but it still took an hour.

"Drink this," immediately after his return, a cup was placed into his hands. Blue splashed a generous amount of alcohol into it.

"What is this, a wake?" Error didn't understand. He assessed his mental instability and took a big gulp.

"For nervous cells," snorted Dream. "I'm sorry, I know that it's hard to get used to this, but Ink will return soon. We need to have a serious talk. Can you disengage from our shared tragedy?"

"Yes," said Error, though he wasn't sure about it. To know that, somewhere there, the monster that you love has died and to feel the coldness of those who calmly accepted that was hard. He really did have to get used to it.

"Where to begin?" Dream thought aloud. "We met another protector. And we've found out that Virus is immortal."

Error turned off his eyelights and stared at the bottom of the cup, suspecting that the tea was with mushrooms in it, and the alcohol was fully ethanol.

"Wait, hold on. Come again…"

The story took a long time to be told. Every sentence caused a storm of emotions in Error. When he found out that it was specifically Nightmare who killed Ink, the others just about managed to hold him back from getting revenge recklessly. And that's how it went until the story reached the new guardian.

"Antivirus? With pincers? Yeah, had a case with him once. And even fought him. But the bastard turned out to be dodgy and got away unharmed. Who knew he was a guardian? I didn't take his prattling seriously. Who knows what nonsense people say before death."

"So, he was assuring us that Virus is only afraid of you, as you can kill him forever by erasing his code. Antivirus didn't specify the goals of that Sans; he was setting information away."

"Apparently, he isn't in a hurry to entrust it to us," added Blue.

Error nodded in agreement:

"I see, so you fed each other bits of information and now you're waiting for each other's next move. And what's the plan?"

"To think. To add someone else into our plot is a risk. So we're not going to talk to him about you, and especially not about Radier," Dream assured the destroyer. "We're going to look into it and make conclusions. In any case, we now know where he lives and we can come over to him with cakes and questions."

"Speaking of cakes, I mean you," Blue suddenly piped up. "Antivirus told us something surprising. He said that you do a very important job…"

"Pf!" snorted the black skeleton. "I never said otherwise."

"So it's true?" stars lit up in Blue's eyes immediately. "You never destroyed just for fun, and you didn't even erase my world for no reason?"

Error effaced himself and moved away from the younger skeleton who was agitated by the discoveries.

"I never did anything just for fun. I'm a Sans — I'm lazy," he smiled. But his voice showed nervousness with a big amount of glitches. "Like Ink, I get adjustments from Creators. Well, and I often know myself which world needs to be…spoiled slightly."

Dream put a hand on his face. It was hard for him to agree with something like that. The next words kicked the floor from beneath his feet and forced him to heavily fall onto the couch.

"And I continue to do my job. Only closed off, through the realm of sketches. I don't visit the worlds themselves."

"Ink gave you access to the realm of sketches?" Dream could hardly believe it.

"Yes, imagine it, dreamer," poison seeped into his voice, "he was the first to find out about the importance of my job and trusts me."

Aurally, Dream took it as this: he trusts me more than you, for he didn't tell you about the dying worlds and other sufferers.

Blue felt the tension between the two and quickly put himself between them, turning their attention onto himself:

"Error, I've always believed that you're better than what you want to seem! And I'm happy to know that's the way it is! So why did you destroy my world? Tell us!"

Error uncomfortably shuffled from one foot to the other, glitches ran around his body, showing worry. Finally, he said:

"It was a check. I suppose the Creators wanted to test its stability. And, as you see, it stood its ground. But even they didn't know that such confusion would happen with you, and that you'll become closer to my Void than to your native world. Sorry."

"No," Blue shook his head, but not because he didn't want to forgive the other. A smile was on his face. "I'm grateful for the chance of becoming something bigger. If it weren't for you, I would've never become a guardian. So I don't have anything to forgive you for."

"In any case," Error tiredly sat down on the couch next to Dream, who continued to hold a silent tension, and rubbed his face. "All of this isn't that important. I'm more worried not by unopened facts, but the presence of unknown ones in our sort of thought-through formula. I hope that Virus and Antivirus won't be the reason why we'll have to change our plan. And I also really hope that Ink will return soon. He will, won't he?"

The hopes didn't come true. A day went by, a week, and Ink didn't appear. Radier started to ask questions:

"Where's papa?"

Error couldn't tell him the truth. Let Radier be special and developed more than usual for his age thirty times over, it was still too early for him to try to imagine something as hard as the death of a monster who is close to him and the following resurrection. Who knows what conclusions the little nightmare will make out of that.

"He's doing an important task," the destroyer would say calmly and confidently.

Radier was satisfied with that answer. He would nod and go to play with Shino, who had nearly settled down in Ink's house. In fact, Reaper put his daughter in Error's care and was very pleased about it.

"Well, you know: I have to work all day, and the kid needs company."

Error didn't object, he only grumbled about it being harder to look after two kids. When he got tired, he gave them to Papyrus and Dust.

Once Stretch made him think, even scared him:

"You do know that not everything's alright with your son," he began from afar. "He's not like a normal child."

"Naturally, he's the son of two inveterate bastards," the black skeleton tried to turn it all into a joke.

The taller skeleton smoked on his cigarette, puffed out a ring of smoke and said:

"Two year-olds can hardly string two words together, play with blocks and have difficulty solving puzzles. But Radier knows things that a two year-old shouldn't know. He finds conclusions that adults aren't always capable of finding. And I don't think that it's because both of his parents are incredibly powerful residents of the Void."

Error felt uneasy realising this, but he immediately pointed at Shino, who also behaved unusually based on what Papyrus said.

Papyrus chewed his cigarette and shrugged:

"She's unusual too, though more closer to a normal child."

"Thanks for your care," Error was trying not to growl, but he couldn't make the tone of his voice pleasant. "But can you just accept the fact that all the residents of the Void are SPECIAL."

Papyrus only shrugged, not going to agree or disprove this marvelous fact. With his next words, he made the other to really think what, why, how and what for:

"I'm talking about how, maybe, your Creators are rushing your son's development on purpose? Maybe something bad is supposed to happen?"

Error really began to get worried then. Too much was fitting into the 'bad' category, and a lot has already happened. The destroyer had difficulty believing that the Creators are trying to help: they're sooner having fun at the expense of others'. They provoke them to play by their rules, and only after that grab their heads when the game becomes an uncontrollable disaster of opening Pandora's box.

And yet the game has already become that.

Error tried to disengage himself from the thoughts of the possible participation of the third forces in his misfortunes and tried to concentrate on things that were closer to earth. For instance, where was his son? He was nearby just now, playing by that hill with Shino.

A scream rang out unexpectedly and made Error and Papyrus jump. It was a child's, heart-rending and full of terror. And then another one; this time, it was Dust:

"Error, Paps, come here now!"

They ran, racing each other.

It turned out that, while the grown-ups were talking, the children moved closer to the forest and began to sled on hills, only they were so distracted by it, that they didn't see where one of the hills led. The last one led into a gulf and onto ice.

Shino didn't get hurt: she landed onto Radier. She got up, saw the blood and the pale face of her only friend and screamed from terror.


	47. Carelessness 2

When Error saw his son, everything inside him seemed to turn over. As fast as he could, he got down to the bottom of the cliff, entangled the body with strings, fixing the broken bones together, and pressed the limp little body to himself, remembering that moment with terror, when he took him into his arms for the first time and thought that he would never cry, never live, that he'll never be.

The broken skull was scaring him with a big crack, and the soul with a ripple of weak glitches.

Papyrus teleported into the ravine, quickly assessed the terror on the parent's face, the state of the child and Shino's panic, and called out to the nearing Dust.

"Look after Shino," he touched Error and teleported him and Radier to a laboratory. "Undyne!!! Come here now!!!"

Undyne appeared so quickly it seemed like she could teleport as well. She took the child away from the parent who had fallen into a stupor, and carried him to the operating table. Error stared at his empty hands and was ready to completely go mad. It seemed to him that he lost his only son, it seemed that he was already no more, the rest was an illusion.

Papyrus shook the black skeleton and moved him to the table nearly with force:

"Transfer magic to him," he ordered, when he realised that Error couldn't think.

He shook him thrice more, not letting him go on a reboot, forcing him to share magic. And it went like that until Undyne pulled off her surgical mask and gloves. She moved away from the table where the bandaged child was lying, lost in dreams.

"I've done everything I can," said Undyne. "You need to find a more experienced doctor that specialises in skeletons. The child is stable, but if he's not returned to normal quickly, he can fall into a coma."

From such news, Error still went into a short reboot. He couldn't believe that his child was on the verge of dying. And the damned guardian, his spouse, wasn't able to help because he was on a holiday in the afterlife! His miraculous paintbrush would've, in a blink of an eye, fixed the thin bones and the terrible crack on the child's head.

Then, suddenly, appeared someone that no one awaited, no one called, and no one wished to see here and now.

Reaper appeared seemingly out of nowhere and was unnaturally pale; his eyes were feverishly glistening, his teeth were clenched, the scythe was in his hands.

Undyne ran away screaming from the appearance of Death, while Error immediately blocked Radier with himself, as if that could help anything, if Death really did come for him. He greyed and reached for his strings, ready to accept the battle. But Reaper's question brought him back to sense:

"Where's Shino?!"

"She's in our home, with Dust," replied Papyrus, giving Death a gloomy look. He had the honour of encountering him… more than once. But he didn't remember those meetings clearly and didn't keep any negative emotions about them. He just knew that Reaper wasn't doing it for the sake of evil and doesn't like extra work, but someone's death was his job.

"Is she okay?"

"Yes," Papyrus managed to call Dust, and the other had calmed him down, "a couple of bruises and lots of tears. Radier had cushioned her fall, but got very injured himself."

Reaper, finally, relaxed and looked at Radier. He whispered: "Holy shit!" and fixedly looked at Error: 

"Everything is going to be alright, Error. And, if anything, Life did promise you a gift. So, worry less and do more."

The destroyer found the strength for a nod and a question:

"Which Sans is the best at understanding our anatomy and can heal him?"

For an instant, Death looked thoughtful, then took out a phone and started to text with someone.

"There is one individual. His name is Sci. He's from a world that's crazy with science. So, he opened alternative universes for himself and spent a couple decades studying Sanses from different worlds. Methods of healing are included in his interest. And he's waiting for us."

Death's portal looked like a black pool without a bottom. You'll step into it and never swim to the surface. But Error was ready to not only step into it, but run across it, if it meant saving his child. But there was one big 'but'.

"But he can sell you out. I heard that Nightmare visits him sometimes."

The solution appeared quickly. Error didn't have time to start shouting about how he didn't care and let Nightmare find out, another portal opened up and concerned guardians fell out of it.

"Papyrus called us and said that Radier was injured," Dream looked around, saw Reaper and his hurt nephew in the same room, and paled. "What happened?"

Error was still trying to get through to the portal past Death's scythe, even beginning to use his strings, so Papyrus answered to the dreamer:

"Crashed. And we need to quickly get to a more qualified specialist. But he isn't very trustworthy. And he sometimes talks with your brother, so Error can't go there."

Dream wasn't listening anymore. He took the child into his arms and walked around Error and Reaper.

"Everything is going to be okay," he said, before stepping into the portal.

Reaper hurriedly closed the portal and repeated Dream's words:

"Everything is going to be okay, Error. Dream is his relative too, and will protect him. You can't go there. Please, for the sake of your son and safety, understand it, accept it and wait a bit."

Error closed his face with his hands, sobbed and went into a reboot.

Dream felt a strange emptiness. He was holding an unwanted child in his arms, a child who is supposed to take the role of the lord of nightmares in the future. A child that will cause his brother pain. A lot of pain. A child that he still hasn't managed to love.

Dream pushed away the emotions about the upcoming future. He was holding his nephew in his arms — not loved, but still a relative.

"I'm sorry, little one, I'm a bad substitute of a parent. But bear with my company. I promise that everything is going to be alright with you."

They appeared in a laboratory, where a Sans, which looked a lot like the original, was waiting for them. There were no changes to his physical features, except he was dressed not the standard outfit of the lazybones, but in a white lab coat.

"Reaper said that you need my help?" Sci said instead of a greeting.

"Yes, and as quickly as possible," Dream held out the child to him.

Sci looked at the little one and nodded at the operating table:

"Put him there," and moved a big X-ray machine to it.

The inspection took ten minutes. And during all of those ten minutes, Sci wasn't quiet, he was tormenting the other with questions:

"Are you the boy's parent?" 

"Yes," lied Dream.

"What happened to him?" 

"He fell on ice from height," the keeper of dreams tried to answer as shortly as possible.

"Why didn't you properly look after him, then?"

Dream only sighed heavily at that, deciding not to give a more detailed answer. And the scientist took the sigh as 'that's how it turned out, I'll be more watchful next time'.

"Where's his second parent?"

That question stumped the dreamer for a moment. He immediately thought about Error, who, probably, couldn't sit still because of worry and was rebooting. But Dream had no right to talk about him. His thoughts jumped to Ink.

"Dead." 

Sci finished looking at the child's bones on the X-ray and with some surprise studied the strings which held the fractured bones together.

"Such unusual magic…"

Dream paled. He forgot about the strings. And Error did too. There was no time for that.

"Yes, in the universe where he got injured, the native scientist came up with this thing that holds fractures together," invented the keeper, and tried to steer the conversation away from the dangerous topic: "So what's wrong with Radier?"

Sci looked over the bones again, shook his head and, despite his glum expression, said:

"Nothing too bad. We'll fix the bones now — there won't even be any marks left. But he'll have to lie in bed for a couple of days," the scientist quickly poured a dark gel over the cracks and chipped bones, and it hardened, and restored the child's current of magic. "He'll wake up soon."

Dream bent over his nephew, touching his dreams, and didn't notice how the scientist put a few blue strings into his pocket.


	48. Carelessness 3

When your child's life doesn't depend on you, it creates a feeling of complete powerlessness. Error was running around the house like a lion around a cage, and threw himself at anyone who came near him.

Oh, how he wanted for Ink near him instead of Dust and Blue. He had hugged him, and promised him that everything was going to be okay. But he wasn't there. Those that were there couldn't relieve the pain in his soul that grew with every minute.

Sometimes, a suffocating thought appeared in his head: what if Radier dies?

Error shivered. Radier was his little treasure. Unwanted, unplanned, but precious. He didn't love him straight away, but now he couldn't imagine his life without that child.

Exhaustedly falling to his knees, the black skeleton washed his face with his own tears.

"Error, everything is going to be alright!" promised Dust.

"Pull yourself together! Dream will come back soon, and Radier will undoubtedly get better!" claimed Blue.

The younger guardian turned out to be right. A golden portal opened before them, and Dream, holding the child in his arms, stepped out of it. Radier looked ill, his broken bones were decorated with lines of the magic-restoring gel, and he was still asleep.

Error instantly got it his feet, leaped up to the dreamer and took his son. He carefully pressed the child to himself, examining him with worry.

"He's alright," said Dream quietly. "But he needs calm and a couple of days in bed."

Error was understanding words with difficulty, responded to the calm tone and nodded obediently. His soul was filled with relief.

The little one was put to bed in his room, and Error began to wait, for the moment when he wakes up, by the bed. No one disturbed the parent, and went back to their place. Only Dream stayed behind, deciding to cook some breakfast-lunch-dinner (choose what you want), as his nephew may want to eat when he wakes up. And it wouldn't be bad for Error to have something as well.

In his head were some various thoughts. They were associated with Ink, Error, Radier and Nightmare. He couldn't understand himself in any way. He was a good monster, the embodiment of all things light. So why is there a dark, ungrateful hate sitting in the core of his being, like a worm in an apple? It ate him from the inside, and forced him to think about bad things. For example, it didn't let him become close to his nephew and spend time with him. It forced him to think: "Oh, how good it would've been if he wasn't born at all". It nudged him to give looks of jealousy. Ink was happy with his former enemy, and he was alone. It made him think that if Error didn't exist, Ink would've belonged only to him.

Dream smiled at the dark thoughts. No, of course no. Ink wouldn't be with him even if Error didn't exist at all. And it wouldn't have been good if Radier didn't exist. Radier was a gift that will help him bring back his brother. So therefore:

"Go away, dark me."

Dream was successfully battling his dark side and believed that, regardless of the bitterness of his current life, one day, he will be happy. He also calmed himself with the thought that, if in his bright soul was hate, then in Nightmare's dark soul was love. Then the twins will be together again one day.

"Error, go eat something. I'll stay with him," he said, standing at the doorway of Radier's room.

"No," the voice was full of glitches. Error was sitting hunched over on a chair by the bed.

"Error," Dream approached him and looked at his nephew. Radier looked better. At least, not as dreadful as right after he got injured. "You need strength to look after him. For that, you need to eat. At least a bit."

"Do you think anything will go down my throat?!" snapped the destroyer.

"I think you'll be able to shove something down it," Dream was trying to be as careful as possible and was picking his words thoroughly. "Or what will I have to say to Ink? The child got injured, and the husband died of starvation? Radier is going to sleep for another three hours, so don't worry."

"How can I not worry?! He's my child! And he's not waking up, and there are those cracks on him, and… I should've looked after him myself, not entrusting him to the Swaps."

Dream knew well what it was like — to blame yourself. To this day, he still believed that Nightmare's fate would've been different, had he shown more concern. But it wasn't completely like that. Had he shown more concern, maybe something would've gone differently. But, sooner or later, everything would've ended the same: the angered octopus's genocide. Dream couldn't change the views of the people from their native universe, and couldn't make them not hate the embodiment of negativity. Greedy, they wished for happiness without suffering. And they suffocated in their greediness, along with their own blood.

"I understand what you mean well. It's hard simply to believe in the better, when you only see the bad before yourself," he said. "But you don't even have to believe: everything will be okay. That, or 'falling teaches us to fly'."

"Birdtale?"

"The very ones," smiled Dream. "In any case, this was his first fall. And, you know, I'm proud of him. Out of what I managed to find out, he protected his friend by letting her fall on top of him. He really is a good child."

Error smiled. For the first time in hours, the tension released him, and the black skeleton found the strength to look at what happened from a side. His son really was a good kid.

"Fine, watch over him. But if he wakes up, call me immediately."

"Of course."

Error left the room, and Dream took his place. He was looking at his nephew as if for the first time. And yet he really was, for, only yesterday, Radier was evoking a sense of dread with his dark potential, but today he nearly died saving his friend.

"Really, can a world destroyer and a soulless guardian raise such a good child?" smiled Dream and stroked the child's head. "Grow up quickly, Radier, I really need your help. I hope you will be able to save your unlucky father."

Dream didn't notice how, barely noticeably, a light of consciousness flickered in the child's eye sockets.


	49. Kinship

It couldn't be said that Nightmare and Sci had good relations.

For Nightmare, Sci was just a stranger who sometimes took some of Nightmare's orders and healed his fighters. In return, his world wasn't threatened with raids and annihilation.

Nightmare visited him rarely and only on business: for example, right now, he came for some sleeping pills. He saw this as ironic: the lord of nightmares can't sleep without having nightmares.

Even on the journey, he felt how something negative was happening in the laboratory, but he didn't expect to walk in on a bloody fountain and a scientist that was hysterically running around the place.

"It's cutting into my arm!" the unfortunate victim of science was screaming.

What happened?

As soon as Dream took away the child, Sci started to examine the blue strings with interest. He cut them into thin noodles and tested them in different liquids and with different appliances. It turned out that the fibre was very hard to break and it wasn't very stretchy. Rough, thin, strong strings, they were like guitar strings. But, in terms of power, they were better than building cables.

After more careful studying, it became clear that they were a part of a monster's magic. Only this was a very peculiar magic. Too corporeal, so to speak. For instance, Sans's bones and blasters disappeared as soon as they were cut off from recharge, other monsters' magic didn't stay in physical form for long, but this one did, does and will exist. Possibly, if it appears once, it can't disappear.

But this was going against all the rules that Sci knew. Unless…

Unwittingly, he remembered his brother, whose wish to preserve summoned bones in the physical state was so great that sometimes he managed to create a truly long-lasting embodiment. He already had a box of such bones in his room, and they didn't seem to be in any hurry to disappear.

But his brother was too marvelous to be compared with the rest of the monsters, so Sci couldn't count him as a standard monster.

When he reached the stage of studying the strings' properties, he couldn't find any kind of healing properties. The strings seemed to be a good conductor of magic, but didn't possess any magic themselves.

"It seems that they needed recharge from the monster that created them to have additional properties."

The scientist's words didn't part with that case. He put one string onto his palm and nourished it with his magic.

The string twisted like a snake and began to attack. If it wasn't for the fast reaction, it would've gone for the neck. His hand burned with pain. The string sank into the bone and seemed to melt into it, cutting almost to the middle. The sleeve of the white lab coat became red.

Sci rushed about the laboratory in search for a suitable instrument to extract the string from the bone, planting droplets of blood on surfaces as he was doing so.

Precisely at this moment, Nightmare arrived at the laboratory.

"It's cutting into my arm!" Sci shortly described what was happening and stuck the crimson-sprouting limb in front of the lord of nightmares' face.

At first, Nightmare couldn't understand exactly what was in the poor guy's bone, but when he did, he couldn't believe his eyes. He twisted the scientist, nearly tearing his arm off, took the first scalpel he reached with his hand and picked out a very familiar blue string from the bone.

Taken aback, he let go of the arm.

Sci pressed the injured limb to himself and began to heal it with all the possible speed he had.

For another couple of moments, the string flailed convulsively, but, without recharge, it went limp and hung once again.

"Where is this from?" asked Nightmare when the first wave of shock passed him. He forgot why he came here in the first place. His reasoning was fully controlled by the thoughts about the thin blue string that was lying lifelessly on his palm. In his soul, a coal piece of hope ignited.

Sci was bandaging his arm and was answering with a 'by the way' air, not looking at the other's reaction and not seeing how his expression changed:

"A few hours ago, a Sans in golden clothing came to me. And he brought an injured child with him. He fell on ice. The child's bones were fixed together with this string. That other skeleton said that those strings were an invention by one of the scientists from a different world. They help with fractures, or something like that."

Nightmare tensed, and asked:

"A Sans in golden clothing? Did he name himself?"

"No."

"But maybe he said something?"

"Only that the child's other parent was dead. And I didn't ask about it anyway. It's none of my business. You know what my policies are like."

"Yeah, I know. But maybe you remembered something else? The child's name, maybe?"

Sci thought for a moment. He cut the bandage and tied the ends together.

"Ratal, Riel…. Oh! Radier!"

That child again!

Nightmare was frantically thinking. Sans in golden clothing — that was his brother for sure. So he didn't watch over his son well enough and the other needed medical help. However, Nightmare didn't want to think about his brother and his offspring. He was looking at the blue string and strange and surreal assumptions began to appear in his head.

Where did the guardians get Error's strings?... Although, a dumb question.

Error never kept track of his strings! Anyone could control them and use them for anything. It was a whole different matter to subdue others' magic. Apparently, someone managed to do that.

The lord of nightmares shook his head and tried to think about anything else but the dead destroyer. He tried to think who could be the other parent. Maybe Ink? He died recently. Though the child didn't look anything like him. He didn't have those stupid shape-changing eyes, and his magic wasn't like creation anyway. Instead, Radier looked like someone else who was dead as well.

And Nightmare's thoughts returned back to the black skeleton. Nightmare suddenly thought that the other parent could've been Error. And suddenly the whole picture fell into place. On the child's body, he saw glitches, just like the ones that Error had. The child was mulatto, so one of his parents had dark bones. And his eyes had similar proportions to Error's.

Just the thought about the relationship between his brother and Error made him choke with hate. He was working with HIM. He was helping HIM. So this meant that he was fucking his brother?!

But wait, the child didn't look like he was three years old, even if Error gave birth soon after being disgraced and put in the basement. Of course, it can be suggested that he simply lived in a world where time goes by differently.

Nightmare bit his finger. Yes, Error could've given birth to that child. It wasn't important why and what for, but he could've. He was never forthright and could disappear for months, so he had the opportunity. Another matter: Error had a child from Dream??? Seriously??? They were not only never close, they couldn't be called proper enemies. So why him???

Sci cut him off from his thoughts.

"By the way, why did you come here?"

"Huh?" Nightmare couldn't get his bearings back instantly. His thoughts were controlled by the idea of the existence of Error's child, and he couldn't decide how to feel towards this discovery. He said: "Doesn't matter," and went away to organise his thoughts.

Strange thoughts began to appear in his head. What if he doesn't kill Dream's child, Error's child? What if he takes him for himself?...


	50. Kinship 2

Error was fussing around his recovering son and still couldn't believe that the danger passed and Radier's life wasn't threatened by the healing cracks anymore. Surprisingly, Dream was often near his nephew as well and helped Error.

But both were saddened by the fact that Ink wasn't there. The guardian still hadn't resurrected, and even Blue began to worry:

"He had never taken so long before."

Error was trying not to think about his spouse too much and fully submerged himself in caring for the child. In the evenings he didn't go to the bedroom, not wishing to warm the bed only for himself, and in the mornings he couldn't always understand straight away why Ink wasn't in his embrace. Sometimes he had to go through short reboots because of this.

It became hard for him to be on his own, so he started taking Radier into the realm of sketches and he felt like a monster, destroying worlds full of life right in front of his young son.

Radier was recovering quickly. At the start, he slept a lot, then he was forced to stay in bed and watch cartoons, and, only after a week, he was taken on short walks.

Guests visited them often, wanting to entertain the bored child. And the most wanted guest — Shino — visited him every day. Only under the supervision of her stern father.

She was crying and saying that she was sorry for being careless, for being too heavy and other nonsense. And she thanked him with hugs. Radier accepted the apologies and the gratitude, but couldn't remember what for. It seemed that they went to play nearer to the cliff edge, started to chase each other, and then… and then…. And then Radier heard something strange. Uncle Dream had said:

"Really, can a world destroyer and a soulless guardian raise such a good child?" smiled Dream and stroked the child's head. "Grow up quickly, Radier, I really need your help. I hope you will be able to save your unlucky father."

The little one was spinning those words in his head and couldn't find any reason in them. No, he understood that Uncle Dream needed his help, and he understood that one of his parents needed that help. But which one?

Ink always seemed to be more powerful than mama, that is, Error. Also, the others said that he was busy somewhere on the edge of the Multiverse and can't come back home yet. He doubted that he needed the help of a little child. Error was always with him and didn't need the child's help either.

Then who was Uncle Dream talking about?

"Maybe it was a dream?" suggested Radier. But he wasn't sleeping, and he heard what he heard.

When Shino came to visit him, and her father went away to talk with Error, Radier told her about what he heard.

The girl thought about it for a long while. She frowned, and suddenly asked:

"Do you look similar to both of your parents?"

Radier wanted to say: "Yes" — but he couldn't. He looked away and thought about it. He definitely looked similar to Error, for he gave birth to him. But to Ink… Radier suddenly realised that he looked nothing at all like his second parent. He respected him and loved spending time with him, but he didn't look similar to him. Radier didn't have his shape-changing eyes and artistic abilities, for example.

Shino guessed where her friend's thoughts were heading, and said:

"In any case, it's nothing to be worried about, but it means that one of your parents isn't related to you by magic."

Radier didn't know how to react to this sort of discovery. It didn't change anything in his life. And the meaning of the words 'isn't related to you by magic' didn't spark any antipathy in his soul. He was related to him — nothing else mattered. Only a different question rose: then who was his father that was related to him by magic? Who does he need to help? Who was Uncle Dream talking about?

"You know," said Shino suddenly, and tears glittered in the corners of her eye sockets, "the fact that I understand such things, it's scaring me. Other children, not you, the other ones, they seem to be so stupid to me… Radi, what is wrong with us?"

The boy tightly hugged his friend, but didn't know the answer. But he wanted to find out, meaning that his "mama" was awaited by a couple of uncomfortable questions.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, another important dialogue was going on.

"We have to talk," Reaper looked overly serious.

Error tensed:

"What happened now? Someone else is on the verge of death?"

"No, it's not about my work," Death reduced the level of tension a bit and sat at the table. And the next phrase made the level rise to heights it has never reached before. "It's about our children. Whoa! Calm down, friend! I'm talking about this. Today I saw a lot of children that were two-three years old. And Shino… Well, she couldn't find a shared speech with them. It was hard not to notice that our children are different from other ones. Really different! Shino seems to be smarter and more powerful than the rest. When she's with Radier, I didn't notice it. But now I'm at a loss."

Error waved him off:

"That was obvious almost from the beginning. Ink connected the phenomenon of fast development with the children lacking a native world and Creators."

"Creators," Reaper rubbed his chin. "What do they need this for?"

"Probably, they don't want their new toys to break before they're supposed to. And I don't think that they treat us any different to toys. They decided to give them a boosted development."

Reaper jerked.

"And how old are our children?"

"Physically? About three. But I won't say anything about intelligence. I won't be surprised if we soon get a pair of adults in children's bodies. But looking at our realities, maybe that's not a bad thing. Though, I really wanted my son to stay a child for longer and keep away from Multiversal crap. Sorry, but that's impossible."


	51. An Uncomfortable Question

That talk had to happen. Only Error hoped that it will happen when the child is ten years old, better if twenty, even better if never!

But there his little son was, standing before him and waiting for his "mama" to stop glitching after the question with a simple meaning:

"Who is my real papa?"

Radier couldn't decide whether to ask for a few days. A part of him didn't want to know the answer. That part knew that there are reasons why a father was replaced by a different one. And those reasons promised him that he wasn't going to like them. Curiosity won. He didn't think that he would upset his mama's balance so much and force him to drown in torturing reboots.

Error seemed to rise to the surface, frantically gasp some air, remembered the question and preferred to sink back down. And it went like that for a couple of hours. His son had gotten tired of waiting and had regretted his irrepressible curiosity three times over, but he couldn't take back his words. Therefore, he was sitting some distance away and drawing.

Three shapes appeared on the paper: papa, mama and him. Radier didn't have special artistic talent, which backed up the realisation of the fact that Ink wasn't related to him. His drawings were just childish scribbles which couldn't be figured out without being labelled. But he was trying to show their small family and tried to think if he could add anyone else to it. He drew Uncle Dream, Blue, Papyrus, Dust, with whom he sometimes stayed with. He added Shino and her father. He brought his pencil over the paper again, and froze. Who else should he draw?

He knew that another skeleton was supposed to be on there. The very one that's related to him by blood and magic, but he didn't know who it was supposed to be, and why wasn't he with him. So Radier put down the pencil, deciding that the picture worked out without the unknown father.

When Error returned from the world of reboots, Radier hurried to say:

"It doesn't matter who my real father is, mama. If you don't want to, you don't have to say. I have papa-Ink, after all. By the way, when will he return? He never disappeared for so long before. Mama?! Mama!!! … Well, I have to start talking about something else next time, otherwise mama won't come back to his senses…"

Dust came to visit them, and, finding the child creating a shadow homunculus and his parent glitching on the couch, decided that a babysitter won't be out of place.

"Hello, little one!"

"Uncle Dust!" Radier rushed to the guest, while his unfinished creature crawled away to explore the house.

"What's up with Error?"

"I just wanted to ask mama who my real papa is, and he… Why is everyone reacting so strangely to this question?"

Dust swallowed, and regretted that he, too, couldn't go on an endless cycle of reboots — well, that, or just fall through the floor. He rubbed sweat off his forehead and, with difficulty, maintained a careless smile on his face.

Should he answer? Or would it be more right to keep quiet?

"That's not something you should discuss with me, little guy. Well… I mean…"

"Do you know him?"

Dust's face fell, and, with a sigh, he said:

"Creators — those bastards who don't let you be a naive child. I'm sorry, Radier, I can't talk with you about that. Just know that your parents — those who are raising you — are amazing skeletons and they have lived through a lot. And they love you regardless of anything. So don't rush to make conclusions. And, please, don't look for your father. You will break Error's heart with that."

Radier looked downcast and looked at his rebooting parent. He nodded and left the curious topic for later. Only he was upset, and wanted to release his indignation.

"Okay, Uncle Dust. Maybe you could play with me? Papa Ink hasn't returned yet, and mama has frozen up."

"What do you want to play then?" In the past, this skeleton was lucky to keep away from the little nightmare's games, otherwise he would've already run away.

"Tag…"

In that moment, the unfinished homunculus hung above Dust and opened its toothed jaws.

When Error regained his senses, he saw a picture of complete chaos. The chandelier was on the floor, the TV was cracked, shelves were turned over, a bone was sticking out of the ceiling.

The first thought that ran through his head was: "Good thing Ink doesn't see this", the second: "Where is the source of this mess?"

He was answered by screams of terror and a new wave of thuds. This time, the riot was in the bedroom on the second floor. When Error ran into it, it was too late to save the room. The furniture was in pieces, and the clothes were like a crash mat on the floor.

"What is going on here?!"

From the growl of the angered destroyer, Radier stopped laughing and jumping on what was left of the bed, the homunculus spat out the half-swallowed Dust, who stopped screaming.

"We're playing," the little nightmare made an innocent face.

"I see," Error folded his arms on his chest, and his gaze promised nothing good. "But I thought that we agreed that you won't play games that traumatize others."

"But…" Radier threw a careful look at the hiccuping Dust, and bit his tongue. If he was in order physically, then he was mentally close to insanity. "I'm sorry. I was just bored."

Error slapped himself on the face: "He was bored!" — and opened a portal to Underswap.

"Hey, Blue. We have a victim of someone else's sense of humour. Help is needed."

The skeleton in the blue scarf immediately jumped out of the portal, and, assessing Dust's state, dragged him along into the portal to thaw him out with tea with added sedatives.

Error chased away the thoughts that Radier may have become as harsh as Nightmare, counted till ten and called his son into the kitchen. He admired his guilty face, made hot chocolate for him and himself and, only after that, began to talk.

"Listen to me, Radier. What I'm going to say is very important. Though this talk was supposed to be given to you by Ink or Dream, but your father is busy right now, and you don't listen well enough to Dream, so I will talk to you about this," he drank from his cup. "You are a fairly smart boy, and you should understand that you, like others around you, are unusual beings. Reaper is the god of death. Dream is the keeper of positive emotions. Ink is the protector of the Multiverse. I'm its cleaner. And you, too, are a very unusual being. And one day you will have an important role and be responsible for important things. But it will be your choice whether you will fulfill your duties for good or for bad."

The child was listening without cutting in. For the first time, he was given a really serious talk. He braced himself, tensed and memorized every word, while Error was carefully picking his words.

"I wasn't always the same as now. I used to be more harsh, impatient and I didn't listen to the feelings of others around me. And I found myself with a group of bad people, where terrible things happened to me. I did wrong things and made many suffer. There wasn't someone who would've pointed me in the right direction, there wasn't anyone who would tell me what's the right thing to do. I don't want you to end up with the same fate. Understand?"

"Not really," admitted the small skeleton awkwardly. 

"You will understand when you'll get older. Remember it for now. It's not worth it to behave like you did recently. You shouldn't bring others unnecessary pain. Be able to stand your ground and achieve your goals, but be merciful."

"But I was only playing…"

"It was a bad game. Games that cause others pain are bad. And pain in a soul is far worse than a chopped-off arm. Believe me. And your "only playing" can cause irreparable harm. Dust didn't say that he wanted to play like THAT."

"He didn't," the child looked down.

"Would you have played like THAT with Shino?"

"I wouldn't have," the child began to cry.

"Would you have dared to scare Reaper or me like THAT?"

"I'm sorry!"

Error assessed his repenting son:

"I forgive you. But don't do that anymore," he finished his hot chocolate and waited for Radier to calm down. Only then, he said: "We'll talk about your biological father some other time. Sorry, but I don't want to talk about him now. Just know that he's a very bad monster. And you need to keep away from him as far as possible."

"Okay," nodded Radier.

"I believe your word. Let's go now: you need to apologize to Dust."


	52. He's Back!

Nightmare decided to act.

"It's now or never. The guardians are weakened by the loss and can't oppose us properly. Which means that we can break into Dreamtale!"

Killer could breathe out freely. Boss going back to normal was a reason to be glad. He took out his knife and began to sharpen it. Virus didn't show any particular eagerness. But he promised to find a few worlds to kill.

"But don't touch the child. I have plans for him."

Killer cut himself from surprise. He understood that he had rushed with conclusions.

Dream and Blue were exhausted, chasing Nightmare with his goons. The others seemed to go mad: they were trying to break into Dreamtale, absorbing negativity from all the available worlds on the way. And if Antivirus didn't help them, they would've died.

Antivirus showed up at a particularly heated battle, when Dream was already thinking of evacuating Blue and writing a will for himself. And then, when the Star pair was surrounded by the bad guys and they were ready to end the long battle, the Sans in green appeared and threw them all back with tentacles.

"Another octopus," Killer had time to be surprised, before flying into a cave.

Nightmare got off with bruises, getting out of the way of the attacks in time. Virus, like an expert in this skeleton, got away without any injuries and left his old friend's boundaries of attacking possibilities.

The show of intimidation worked. The team of nightmares ran away, not wanting to fight with an unknown enemy. They lost a lot of strength fighting Blue and Dream and couldn't guarantee victory, only more injuries.

"Still in one piece?" Antivirus asked the tired guardians.

"Something like that," grimaced Dream, holding his broken arm.

"Thank you. We would've died without your help," Blue earnestly thanked him.

Antivirus only nodded at his gratitude; he had already come up to Dream and was examining his arm.

"The code is simple, wait a bit," he summoned his console, leaned it against Dream and quickly typed in a line of code.

Immediately, the bone snapped back into its place with a crack, and Dream let out a muffled cry. It was painful, but the arm was back to normal.

"It's banausic work, I know," Antivirus put away the console, and the tentacles along with it. "But my speciality is different: heal virus-infested worlds, not monsters."

"One Virus certainly needs healing," smiled Blue, pointing at his gnawed leg. 

Antivirus laughed at the joke and healed the younger guardian:

"Yep, that Virus is in need of healing and training. I hope I can return him to the right direction one day," he sighed and inquired: "Where's Ink? Hasn't he resurrected yet?" looking at the guardians' sour faces, he offered: "If that's the case, I can help you for some time. Virus is supposed to be my problem, so I feel guilty for having you take care of that problem."

He held out his hand.

Dream was in doubt for only a moment. He knew that they needed help. Otherwise a situation like this one will happen again and it wasn't a fact that everything will end well.

"Until Ink returns," Dream shook his hand.

"Welcome to the team," Blue smiled cheerfully and tightly shook the hand of the temporary team member. On the contrary to Dream, he had more belief in others wanting to help them in their difficult matter.

There were three guardians again. And it had to be admitted that Antivirus was chasing away the nightmares as well as Ink did. Sometimes better than him, counting Virus's attempts to escape, should the new team member appear.

But a month passed, another, the third was ending, and not only Error and Radier were worried — Ink still wasn't back. This caused scary thoughts. As if this time his death was the final one. But such thoughts were swept away and they waited… waited… waited…

It was already night (if looking at the clock), Radier was asleep, but Error couldn't sleep and went to the living room to watch Undernovela. He missed the moment when the door opened. He looked around when it closed. And he saw the guilty gaze of shape-changing eyes. He looked and didn't believe it. He swept his tears off. Jumped up and threw himself into the embrace.

"Where have you been, rainbow asshole?!" relief and fury were mixed in his voice.

"Sorry," was all Ink could say, returning the tight embrace. "I haven't been gone for too long, have I?"

"Are you kidding?!" Error stepped away from his partner and looked at him with wild eyes. "Three months, Ink!"

That's when Ink couldn't hold himself back and threw up, almost getting it on the black skeleton.

"How has it been three months?!" he was horrified. His legs gave way and Error had to catch the worried guardian. "Stars!" Ink clung onto his husband and asked him, with, almost whispering: "How are you? How is our son? How are Dream and Blue? Did they manage to hold back the nightmares? How many worlds were lost? To hell with the worlds! Is everyone alive?!"

Somehow, Error managed to drag Ink onto the couch and give him some tea.

"Everything is in order. Radier is asleep, though he recently made us all worry. Our friends are alright too, though it has been hard for them without you. Strangely enough, not many worlds have been lost. Almost as soon as Nightmare began to rage and try to break into Dreamtale, Antivirus appeared and started to help them."

"Anti-who?"

"You can ask them for the details."

Error sat right up close to his partner and he didn't care about the scorching glitches in the places where they touched. He wanted to press him closer and to not let go. Ever.

Slowly, Ink began to calm down, and so did Error.

"I was very worried," confessed the destroyer. "You were gone for so long I started thinking that I'm waiting in vain. And it was becoming unbearably difficult."

"I'm sorry that I became so important to you."

"I forgive you. But don't die anymore."

"I'll try."

They were sitting in each other's embrace and whispering quietly for the next hour, and only after that they went up to the bedroom.

In the morning, Radier was running in circles around Ink and squealing happily, waving clawed paws and creating horrifying creatures on the go, which, too, began to run around and squeal happily.

"Papa is back!"

With all the joy, Error forgot to tell Ink that their son has found out the truth. That he's adopted by Ink. But Radier himself didn't bring this up, so Error decided to tell Ink about it later, privately. Maybe even forget about it until better times.

The family idyll was interrupted by an opening portal. There were more squeals of joy. Dream was almost crying, and Blue was already trying to give Ink a taco.

The hurricane of happiness didn't simmer down immediately.

"I'm very happy that my long absence didn't bring any more tragedies," Ink breathed out. "Tell me what I've missed."


	53. Information

Ink perceived the news of the existence of another guardian with delight.

"Pleased to meet you, I'm Ink."

"Same here. Antivirus."

The guardians gave each other a tight handshake.

"Thank you for helping and for my friends. I regret having to leave them for such a long period of time."

"There's no need for gratitude; let's just say that I care for our Multiverse and I'm ready to lift my lazy ass off the couch more often for its sake," he joked in the style of the original Sans and laughed at his own joke.

Having exchanged courtesies, the guardians sat at the table, which was set on Dreamtale.

Antivirus looked around with genuine curiosity.

"I haven't been here often," he explained. "Good sturdy code — my involvement wasn't needed."

"What about now?" asked Dream.

"Not now, either."

The keeper of positivity wanted to hear a different answer, so he drooped. Wishes to solve everything magically still remained wishes.

"So, Virus is your friend? Former," Ink quickly returned the conversation to business.

"Something like that. I think you want to find out about him as much as possible. Right?" getting a nod, Antivirus took the tea that Blue offered him and continued: "Where to begin? Let's start with the fact that he's older than me. As in, he was created before me."

"Do you mean his world?" Ink didn't understand and was surprised when Antivirus shook his head.

"I don't have a native universe, and nor does Virus. Like you, like Error, we were born in the Void. Though, both in its lighter parts."

The friends awkwardly shared a look. When the search for information about Virus began, they didn't even think that he was a bastard from the Void as well.

Antivirus continued:

"His original purpose was to check the worlds' stability. He just visited worlds and infected them with a simple virus. If the world managed to survive, Virus left it and went on, while the world that survived developed an immunity to such errors."

"But then something went wrong," guessed Ink.

"Unfortunately," Antivirus took a gulp from the cup, "Virus started to abuse his power over the Multiverse and sometimes went too far. And then I came along. My purpose was to destroy viruses and clean the files from errors. And also to control Virus."

"You're not managing to control him well," Ink grinned joylessly.

Antivirus wasn't offended, he only nodded.

"The problems began when Error disappeared. Virus felt unpunished and came out from hiding."

"What does Error have to do with this?"

"Virus is afraid of him," Blue dropped into the talk. "Supposedly, he can kill him forever. Otherwise he's like you, Ink, unkillable."

"Wow! How many more immortals are running around the Multiverse?!" Ink marvelled. "But it's a shame that not all of them are on our side."

"A bit," Antivirus continued the story, having emptied his cup. "So, he's very powerful. Not weaker than any of you. But it's not his power that's dangerous, but it's what he can do with that power."

"Like?" question marks flickered in Ink's eyes.

"For instance, remember what he did in Farmtale? That was a game, no harder than a check of textures or the movements of the sprites. Imagine that he infects all the universes in the Multiverse and forces genocides in them. Or explodes the reactors in all of them at the same time, or something even worse. The Multiverse will simply collapse from that."

Goosebumps ran up the listeners' backs.

"But he won't do it?"

"He won't," Antivirus calmed them down and immediately forced them to tense again: "Because he doesn't want that. He wants to be a rightful lord of code. If the whole of Multiverse dies, he'll have nothing to control."

"So he's like Nightmare?" Dream made an outcome. "My brother, too, wants the whole Multiverse to be his feeder."

Antivirus and Dream shared an equally woeful look and both gave a heavy sigh.

There was a lot of information, and Ink could easily forget a part of it, so he hurriedly wrote down everything he heard on his scarf and copied everything into his sketchbook as well. When he was done, he asked:

"And what will we do? And what were you doing during those months?"

"Not letting the nightmares get to the protected worlds. And defended Dreamtale with all we had," answered Dream.

"With occasional success," Blue grieved.

A few worlds were still lost. Two were full of bugs, and Antivirus was still busy with them, and Nightmare drank three of them and they were destroyed and they still haven't reset.

But Ink took this as a case of inevitable victims: more worlds had been lost before. He was interested by something else:

"Dream, you mentioned that Nightmare began to make targeted attempts to get into Dreamtale? Do you think we have at least one more year?"

Dream thought about it and nodded hesitantly:

"Probably, we do have a year. You think we can already try to resurrect Dreamtale? But Radier is still little, and we still haven't explained to him what we need from him."

"Well, then, it's about time we did," he turned to Antivirus, "and I hope that you can help us. We have planned something very risky."

After learning about the plan, Antivirus thought about it and then frowned:

"Forgive me, of course, but can I scan through Dreamtale? I have a few concerns. But before I announce them, I want to make sure." 

Dream looked at the clock and unexpectedly tensed. He only nodded: do what you consider useful, — and got up.

"Sorry, I have to meet someone." 

"Are you rushing off to a date?" Blue suggested happily and, with surprise, noticed embarrassment on his friend's face. "Wow! Am I right?"

Ink was interested as well:

"And who is the happy holder of the prize with a diadem?"

"I'm not going on a date," the keeper of dreams waved them off, breaking through his embarrassment. "Goodbye," and, not explaining anything further, disappeared in a portal.

"He has a date," concluded Blue.

"That's good, then," Ink nodded to his thoughts, "it's about time that he found a more fitting object for love wishes."

Antivirus showed no interest to the ups and downs of love, burying himself deeper in code. And what he was looking for promised the guardians that they weren't going to like it.


	54. Hanging By A Thread

Ink and Blue wondered who could distract their friend. They went through everyone. But they didn't guess it right once. Not even as a joke.

Dream, too, couldn't assume who fate will tie him with. He couldn't understand how he appeared in this situation, how he appeared in the same bed as this skeleton, for this guy was the last person who could be foretold to be a lover with the source of positivity.

It wasn't even funny!

"Stars, what am I doing with my life?" Dream rubbed his forehead.

"What are you doing with it?" Reaper didn't understand, turning into his side and looking at the dreamer. "You're alive."

"I'm not about that…"

"About what, then?"

The keeper of good dreams couldn't turn his feelings into words. He waved his hand and turned to face the wall, but he was embraced, pressed to the other and warmed with the other's breath.

"What is worrying you? Our relationship? Or something bigger?"

"Relationship? I'm not really worried by our attempts to lick each other's wounds, I just can't understand how I got to something like this. Well… I…" Dream was embarrassed. "I'm always ready for sex in dreams. But…"

"But in reality you don't have a lot of practice," grinned Reaper. "I noticed."

Dream became embarrassed, turned to face his lover and asked him:

"Tell me, how serious is it between us? Maybe that's what's worrying me. We meet up, have sex, talk. I enjoy our evenings. I just… well…"

"You don't know what you want and how to relate to it yourself," the grin on Death's face widened. "It's alright. Hesitance is normal. I don't know where our relationship is going either. Maybe, when our wounds heal, we will leave each other and find someone more fitting. And maybe those evenings are the beginning of something bigger. In any case, I enjoy our time together. I'm alive."

Dream smiled uneasily and rubbed his eye sockets:

"I'll stick to your philosophy," he yawned.

"Sleep, my love. Let your dreams be wonderful."

Reaper waited till Dream fell asleep, and only then let out a heavy sigh. The smile slipped off his face. Death continued to embrace the dreamer with his arms, arms that took away a huge number of lives.

"No, they didn't take them away, they only helped them to change into a different state. To leave the road of life and find peace" was what he preferred to think.

He also embraced Geno with those very arms. It seemed as if only yesterday his beloved was sitting in his embrace and gave him rare smiles.

He doesn't exist anymore! He never did. He never will.

This realisation still brought pain. And if Reaper was more egoistic, he'd think about bringing back his beloved. But just the thought of making Sans from Aftertale a prisoner of the tight cage that's the Save Screen again, who would experience pain from unhealing wounds twenty four hours a day… He didn't want that for him!

But Geno didn't disappear without a trace. He brought Shino into the world, and she, like a ray of sunshine, met him after work and loved him, in spite of his job. His little daughter. His tiny bit of solace.

Who knew that, a couple of years later, he'd find another bit of solace? 

It all began fairly innocently. Reaper took Shino to Ink's house and asked Dream to come with him. It turned out that Nightmare managed to make a mess in one of the worlds while passing by. The residents of that world needed good dreams.

"I honestly really don't care, but Shino was asking about looking after those unlucky people."

In the process, they got talking and it turned out that they have a lot more in common besides the impossibility of being with those they love. For example, neither were what others imagine them to be. Dream wasn't a clown who gives everyone smiles. He was more like a drug dealer on whom everyone depends and wants a dose from. Reaper wasn't a scary maniac with a scythe at all. He was wise with experience and a slightly sad skeleton, who was very lonely.

Internal emptiness and the wish of intimacy made them meet in calmer surroundings the next day. A couple glasses of wine — and the skeletons surprisingly found more things in common. And then, word after word, a few clumsy hugs, the first, hesitant kisses — and they're already languishing from passion, beating the bed sheets into wet foam.

And it would've been nothing if it happened only once, but those meetings became pleasant additions to their lives. In an embrace, it became easier, all of their sorrows were forgotten and the hope in the better appeared. It's wonderful when someone loves you. And Dream and Reaper could both enjoy it once again. Even if it was in secret, away from everyone else.

Well, almost in secret. Life already hinted that, if they're not careful, she will definitely give them a little skeleton. At which Reaper grinned, and asked to wait for a couple of years.

"When the Multiverse will move away from the edge it's balanced on, then we can think about that. And I don't even know if we'll be together by then."

Life sighed sadly:

"You said the same when you were with Geno. You didn't want to admit that you loved him. But I know it's hard, because, one day, you'll have to…"

"Let's not talk about this right now, Life," Reaper tried to move away from the unpleasant topic, but Life continued:

"I'm talking about that, if you save him one day, I won't say a word to you, and neither will the rest of the gods," with those words, Life acquired a fearful look. Letting anyone who wouldn't be pleased know who they'll have to deal with if they dared to have a go at her friend.

Reaper frowned and took out Dream's hourglass. There was not much time left in them.

"And I'll have to save him pretty soon."

It was especially because of the amount of sand left in the hourglass that he didn't want to pay attention to the skeleton that reminded him a bit of Geno. In the same way, gloomy and in his own thoughts when no one sees him. Wishing for happiness, but unable to reach it.

"If he's really dear to you, then do what you think is right, my friend. I'm on your side," said Life.

And Reaper heeded to her words. And there he was, lying on the bed and hugging the skeleton that's dear to him. The skeleton whose life is hanging by a thread.

"Don't leave me, my love. Please…"


	55. The Hour is Near

It happened painfully unexpectedly.

Some time passed before Error would let his son go play with his friends. And it happened specifically when Radier was over at the Swaps'.

The villagers of Underswap suddenly started to avoid the dark-boned child. They looked at him oddly, warily, with tension that kept growing. Blue didn't notice it at first, but, when he paid more attention to it, he immediately asked a friend of his, whose smile fell and she started to look upset:

"Excuse me, is something wrong?"

"No," the rabbit monster hurried to pick up her little brother into her arms and to carry him away from the suspicious child, "I just thought of something bad. Sorry."

She left, while Blue was lost in thought and began to look at others' reaction to Radier more carefully. He wasn't wrong: the people around them really began to behave strangely near him. Only Shino didn't change. And Blue didn't feel any particular changes with himself. But his brother was still nervous around Radier:

"How should I put it," he looked thoughtful. "Not the best of thoughts go in your head. As if all happy things become dull, while bad things become brighter."

The worried parents demanded that Dream should take a closer look at Radier and made them go on a walk together. The keeper of positivity made an outcome that Radier was already becoming a young lord of nightmares.

"His aura has almost completely formed. He'll be ready to take Nightmare's post of a lord of nightmares very soon."

These news were simultaneously encouraging and scary. No one was ready for such a quick solution to problems. They thought that they needed to wait for another year, maybe two.

No one was sure how to feel about this. They couldn't be completely happy about it, for the little child was literally in the zone of estrangement, he evoked negative emotions from humans and monsters. He was losing good relations with people around him.

No one said this aloud, but they were worried about Radier. Worried that he'll repeat Nightmare's unenviable fate.

Radier himself, at first, was surprised about how others began to treat him differently, was getting upset, but quickly pulled himself together.

"Don't be upset," his friend told him. "Even if those monsters will hate you. I will always be your friend."

It was true: he still had Shino and his parents' many friends. They were important for him, and he had no business with others and their quirks. Though sometimes, the desire to set a particularly fanged beast on some appeared. But as mama didn't approve of that, the child used faint hallucinations.

He began to travel around dreams more often with uncle Dream, who taught him to influence dreams. Not spontaneously, like Radier did usually, but mindfully and in detail.

But Radier thought of this as boring, and loved to travel around dreams the most with papa. He loved his calmness and judgement, that he tried involuntarily to mimic, though he would suddenly begin to laugh like mad or make a pathetic gesture, with which he entertained his father.

Ink loved to spend time with his son as well. He was surprised at how the other was changing. Only recently there was a lump of bones that only cooed in his crib and absorbed magic from his mama. A bit of time passed — and next to him was an individual with his own preferences and opinion. Flexible and pliant, like clay.

Ink was worried, involuntarily, feeling the weight of responsibility: to raise a good monster turned out to be a difficult task. And the guardian couldn't say that he was managing everything completely, though he applied all the strength he had.

When his son asked questions, Ink was often at a loss: what answer is he supposed to give, if there's no right answer?

"Papa!"

"What is it?"

"Why is everyone so afraid of experiencing pain?"

When his son asked questions like that, Ink wished to learn to reboot, like Error, — an excellent way of escaping from answering.

"Would you want to be in pain?"

"No, but I wouldn't want it to be good all the time either," Radier said with a serious face, and he reasoned: "If it was only good all the time, how would you understand that it's good? If nothing bad happens, then you don't value anything good that you have. Is that it? But then why is everyone afraid of experiencing something bad?"

As usual, his speech was too grown-up.

"Radi, you know," Ink had difficulty picking his words. "They'll never love the negative emotions that you are ready to give them. They won't learn to value them. And we'll have to live with it. Be patient, son."

"Patient?" Radier pouted. "But what if they start to treat me badly? If they start hurting me? Should I still be patient?"

"No," Ink didn't know if he was giving the right advice. "The ability to be patient is a good ability. But…"

"Mama said that I should learn to stand my ground and achieve my goals, but be merciful while doing so," the little nightmare remembered Error's words.

Ink thought about it for a moment, and nodded to his thoughts:

"Error is right. You need to learn to defend yourself. Let me teach you…"

Error favoured the idea of teaching the child self-defence. He even added more hours to this activity. Shino joined the lessons as well. Reaper, having taken a peek one day and assured that the children were doing something useful, promised to show his dark face as well and teach what he can. So Radier was getting so exhausted by day that he didn't want to run anywhere even in the dreams.

After such exhausting lessons he began to value the calm walks around dreams with uncle Dream.

Surprisingly, Dream turned out to be a good teacher. He gradually gave Radier the sense of importance of his destiny. They began to visit Dreamtale more often, where the child listened to the stories about the past of that world.

"You know, my friend, maybe you, too, should get a chil...a student?" Ink joked, when Radier ran away to the top floor to play with Shino. "You've found someone, haven't you?"

The keeper of positivity became embarrassed a bit and nervously shrugged with one shoulder:

"I don't want to talk about it, Ink."

"But is he good?" insisted the protector.

"Yes, he's fairly mature, if you should know," Dream gave up. "I won't say who it is. My personal life isn't your problem."

"And I'm happy about that," Ink smiled. "I believed that you'd be able to find someone who would be able to give you warmth."

"Warmth," repeated Dream and remembered what a pool of darkness Reaper's soul was before him. His emotions pulled him to its depths and nearly drowned him in the mix of the desperate wish to do the right thing and the wish for his own happiness. This strongly reminded him of his own pool of darkness. And he couldn't say that anything has changed cardinally since then, except that the pool wasn't dangerous anymore. Both of them. To be loved was wonderful. To feel his care, given warmth and the endeavour to be together, be against all odds — Dream liked all of this. "Yes, you're right. I didn't have this in our relationship."

He didn't know that the one they were talking about was looking at them through a crack in space and worriedly looking at the hourglass, where there was still very little sand.

How much was left? Days, months? Reaper couldn't know exactly and could only watch for now. He had already made his decision and didn't want to leave it. And let the other gods start what they want afterwards, but he will give up the rules for the sake of his own happiness.


	56. A Little Bit Of Everything

Nightmare felt the day of change getting closer. With every bone he felt how the time of his reign runs out. The little nightmare was ready to take away his throne. Error's child…

Nightmare felt confused. He didn't want to give up the hatred and the power it gave him. But a feeling of apathy towards the situation was growing inside of him. The more attempts to break into Dreamtale he made, the more he felt like a spectator of the unravelling show, where he was nowhere near the role of the main character.

He also didn't want to kill Error's child. And when he understood that he couldn't get to him, he suddenly felt happy. That happiness quickly changed with anger and hate, but the memory of the emotion that was unusual to him stayed and brought a nagging pain to his soul.

The wish of death changed to the wish of owning the child. He wanted Radier to be his child, not Dream's child. His mad mind imagined what he could teach his offspring. And how obedient the child could be. 

Thank the stars Nightmare didn't get to him.

He only had to wait.

"Boss?" 

Nightmare jumped slightly: deep in his thoughts, he didn't notice how his most loyal servant came into the room.

"What is it, Killer?"

"Can I be honest?" Killer looked overly serious.

"Go ahead. If you did something wrong, I won't be mad. Not very, at least."

Killer nodded gloomily and said:

"I don't trust Virus. No, that's not it. I know: he shouldn't be trusted. He mustn't be, in any case!"

Killer's words made Nightmare grimace. He had already heard this before from his servant and he had said then, that he doesn't trust anyone, for what he got a dose of carefully selected swearing and a slammed door. Killer was the only one who allowed himself to do things like that. Though, without viewers. This time, the maniac wasn't going to slam any doors, or even swear. He continued to scorch the other with his worried gaze:

"Nightmare, I'm serious. That type can't be trusted. We still don't know why he obeys you. We haven't seen the limits of his power. And we don't know anything about his past. Except the new guardian," Killer watched with a smirk how his boss grimaced even more. That defeat won't be forgotten soon: Antivirus sprang out like a jack-in-the-box and showed them what for, "gave us a brief performance about him."

"Alright, what do you suggest? We still need him. It's thanks to him we've gone so far…"

"And how far has he gone? Nightmare I'm honestly afraid now," he admitted. "This type scares me. And that already says something."

This made the lord of nightmares think. There was little that could scare Killer, and his awareness worked well anyway. And if he was sure of danger in the new member of their team, then it was worth it to take a closer look at this member.

"Alright, you win," Nightmare demonstratively raised his hands and tentacles. "I'll be careful when around that bastard. And you think of a way to get rid of him if he suddenly goes off. Understand?"

"With great pleasure," Killer grinned and took out his favourite knife on the way. He wished to get rid of the unwanted team member right now.

Nightmare was finally distracted from the thoughts about the child and changed to more proper ones. He needed to come up with a plan to break into Dreamtale. And, yes, it would be good to be more watchful of Virus.

"...A tree of emotions grew. On one side, golden apples grew, on the other — black apples. Out of the shine of the sacred fruits, embodiments of emotions were born. I'm the embodiment of positive feelings, and you will be the embodiment of negative feelings," Dream tried to tell the story straightforwardly, without mentioning Nightmare and tragedies that happened. There were a lot of holes in this version of the story. Should the child ask one question, and he would've had to tell him everything honestly.

Luckily, Radier asked no questions. He didn't even look interested in the story about Dreamtale's past and his future. He seemed detached.

"Radier, are you listening?"

"M? Were you saying something, uncle Dream?" the child looked at Dream with a confused gaze.

"Actually, yes, I was telling you the story of this world…"

"Is it important?"

"What do you mean? It's the story of the whole universe, how can it not be important?"

Radier shrugged uneasily:

"Mama destroys worlds with their stories in bunches. How is this one different?"

Dream sighed heavily.

"You're right: Error destroys worlds with their stories, but he knows the story of almost every world he destroys. Did you know about that?" seeing the amazement on his nephew's face, Dream smiled slightly. He actually found this out himself fairly recently.

Dream's and Error's relations didn't add up together in the best way. Basically, it was hard to call them friends, but they weren't enemies anymore, and they knew that if they were to ask, one would help the other.

So, recently, Dream found the black skeleton in the realm of sketches. And he was sewing a puppet. He had a concentrated look on his face while he was doing so, and didn't notice the guest at first. Dream came closer and realised that he had never seen a Sans like that before: with horns and a cape.

"Who is that?"

Error looked at him through the lenses of his glasses, and something bitter slid into his gaze.

"Demon Sans from Demontale. The Underground there is a filiation of Hell and Frisk is a fallen angel."

"Wow, I don't know a world like that."

"And you never will," Error broke the string with his teeth and hung the new puppet on a web of strings under the ceiling. "I just destroyed it."

Error didn't fill the puppets with strings anymore, and only plushy images of the dead worlds were left in the realm of sketches. A last mention. And if someone pointed at a particular puppet, Error could say at least a couple of words about it.

That was when Dream finally understood how unfair he had been to the destroyer of worlds, when he was insisting that he was only a psychopath with no remorse. Like Ink, this skeleton carried a weight on his shoulders. 

His son was going to carry a weight no lighter, even though he wasn't going to destroy worlds.

Radier was listening to the story about "mama" with delight and by its ending, he asked:

"Uncle, tell me the story about Dreamtale again…"

The raising of the new nightmare continued successfully.

Meanwhile, Antivirus was decrypting the world's code, and the more data opened up to him, the gloomier he became. What he had found out promised lots of tears if the guardians continued to follow the plan. The plan turned out to have a very little probability of success.


	57. Options

Antivirus gathered all the guardians the next day.

"I'm afraid, I have some news that aren't reassuring," he began. "I analysed the world's code and found out this: yes, it can be reset once we've replaced the prince of negativity from Nightmare to Radier."

"That's good news then," Dream was surprised. "But we know about that."

"But you don't know what will happen if the replacement doesn't work," Antivirus's grim tone was building up to the news which he said next. "Both Dream and Radier will die. Moreover, all of Dreamtale will collapse, pulling half the worlds in the Multiverse along with it. And if we're unlucky, it'll take EVERYTHING with it!"

The news hit them like lightning, pressed onto them like a ten-tonne slab, just completely killed them.

"What do you mean, everything?" Blue wasn't shouting with his usual melodious voice — he was whispering, as if afraid that the loud noise would deafen them.

"That's exactly what I mean," Antivirus sighed and looked around at his colleagues with a heavy gaze. "Worlds that have become the foundations of the Multiverse shouldn't be trifled with. If you do — the whole Multiverse can die. That's why Error never touches Reapertale, or Dreamtale…"

"Hold on! But he destroyed my world!" Dream remembered the puppet of himself in the Anti-Void.

"Possibly, yes," agreed Antivirus. "But he did that in the beginning of our Multiverse's existence, when Dreamtale wasn't yet a pole onto which the balance is holding on. The irony in this is that he wouldn't have been able to, even if he tried. But you," he waved a hand at the gathered guardians, "have a chance to do that."

"Was this all in vain, then?" Blue hung his head, upset. Dream frowned. Ink thoughtfully rolled a vial with emotions in his fingers.

All sunk into discouragement. But not Ink. The protector sipped some curiosity, and specified:

"What can increase the chance of success?"

"Ink!!!" his friends all pounced on him immediately. "Are you insane?!"

Ink shrugged, and repeated the question.

"Antivirus, I want to know more. Tell us what can increase our chance, and what can decrease it? Meaning, we've begun the process, and it can't be stopped anyway," Ink drank some red paint, and his voice acquired furious, hard notes. "Dream, your brother has found out about Radier and realised what our plan is. He already began to break into Dreamtale. And, sooner or later, he'll break into here, and bring Virus along with him. If I understand this correctly, this'll lead to a catastrophe of a Multiversal scale in any case."

"You're right," Antivirus nodded. "I'm afraid that your plan is on the way to ending, and it can't be diverted without consequences," he gave his colleagues a hard look. "I'll suggest a few options to solve your problems, and we'll choose the most fitting one. So, the most logical one in my view is to eliminate Nightmare."

"No!" Dream immediately said. "He's my brother. I won't let you kill him!"

The dreamer jumped off the chair, ready to fight for his brother's life.

"Dream, sit down," Ink raised his voice at him. "He only suggested that! No one is going to go and execute your brother… though no one is saying that he doesn't deserve it. But I know that you believe in him like I believed in Error in my time. So let that option stay as a last resort."

The keeper of positivity pulled himself together with difficulty and sat back down. His gaze was literally screaming how much an idea like that disgusted him, for one of the reasons for the plan to replace the keeper of negativity was especially to return Nightmare to his former self.

"Second option," Antivirus continued, "is attempting to keep Nightmare and Virus away from each other."

"That's a so-so option," rated Blue.

"Yeah," agreed Ink.

"Third option: we try to separate them and isolate at least one of them and keep them under our supervision. I can try to hold onto Virus, and you — onto Nightmare. But the chance that we will be able to isn't great."

Dream sighed heavily. They already tried to. More than once. But the world, that served as a prison, literally rotted from the inside, feeding the nightmare, and Nightmare would get out. Since then, the prince of darkness became smarter and didn't let them take him hostage anymore. And, in an attempt to be caught, he preferred to fight to the death.

"We won't be able to take Nightmare prisoner," Ink summed up their thoughts. "And will we have to overcome Virus at all?"

Antivirus thought about it. And, hesitantly, said: 

"Theoretically, yes, but, in practice, even I had trouble holding him back for long enough. Yet I was created specifically to counterweight him, so our chances are quite slim."

The guardians darkened and shared a hesitant look.

"Do we really have no choice?" swallowed Blue. "Either to kill Nightmare, or either continue to follow the plan and make a new nightmare out of Radier?"

"That's right, I'm afraid," nodded Antivirus and then said something that forced the others to shudder: "Maybe if Nightmare kills Radier, he will calm down? He will think that nothing threatens him anymore, and then he will stop the attempts to break into his native world?"

"Excluded!" Dream, Ink and Blue cried out together.

Antivirus put out his hands in a friendly gesture, asking for quiet:

"I only said, that's how it will be, and I didn't offer to rid the child of his life."

He was surrounded by eyes full of disapproval. As if he didn't suggest it, but tried to persuade them. As if he, himself, was ready to lead the innocent child onto the scaffold, hand him over to the butcher and be satisfied by his death. For that's how the Multiverse would be safe. No one would have to follow a plan that could kill everyone.

"Antivirus," Ink demanded firmly, "let's discuss what we can do to make our plan less deadly. And please don't make such suggestions anymore."

Antivirus showed no displeasure — he simply nodded and moved on to discussing the plan:

"First of all, Radier should take the post voluntarily and by his own wish. If your miraculous child suddenly refuses, we all die. Even if he has a drop of doubt, we all die. Second of all, he needs to have enough power to take the post of the prince. Though, I see that there are no problems with that. But it's better to make sure and wait for at least half a year. If he doesn't have enough power, we all die. Three, Error can help to stabilise the code during the process, I will help him as well. Four," he pointed at Dream, "you, too, should get rid of any doubts, get more power, otherwise…"

"We all die," Dream concluded gloomily, knowing that it won't be that easy to get rid of his doubts. 

Ink and Blue glanced at each other: coming from their friend's mouth, this phrase sounded frankly terrifying. Like a prediction.

They parted, weighed down with heavy thoughts: Blue went straight home, Dream — to hide under his lover's wing, but Ink's worries weren't over yet. He still had one more difficult talk before him.

When the portal closed, Ink sipped some hesitance and thought about his son's fate, not as a guardian, but as a parent, and then drank some fear, grabbing his head: what has he done? And how was he supposed to tell everything to Error?

His partner slept, hugging the child. So peaceful, pleased, loved.

Ink sat on the edge of the bed and looked at his family. At those who were a precious treasure to him, a treasure he was afraid to lose. Tomorrow, he was going to have to talk with his husband and tell him about everything. But let him sleep for now. Let Radier lead him only through wonderful dreams during this long night.


	58. The Abyss Of Truth

The volcano should've erupted a sea of negativity, shouting and swearing at his husband, who had brought such terrible news. But instead of that, Error went into a long reboot, and, when he was back, he just sat on the couch, pulled up his legs to his chest, put his hands over his head and was silent for a long time.

And yet there was a time when, if one had told him that there was a possibility to erase all of the Multiverse in one go, he would've been the first in line to be the rider of the apocalypse.

It was good that the insane times were left far behind. It was bad that, because of the lost insanity, the situation seemed so shitty. The destroyer tried to find a way out, but he couldn't. He rushed from one dead-ended option to another and only found death and loss everywhere.

"I should've taken the child and ran away from you," said Error.

Ink couldn't blame his spouse for the truth. He sat near him and nodded tiredly:

"I'm a shitty family man, and a guardian. I didn't make you happy, I doomed our child to an unenviable fate, and now there's a chance to end the very existence of our Multiverse."

Error looked at him out of the corner of his eye, didn't say anything against what he heard, and even even left his signature under all of that:

"Yes. But," the black skeleton smiled, "I'm a shitty father as well. From the very beginning, I knew about the ready-made fate for my son. I knew that Radier would be hated by many and loved by individuals. And I still brought him into this world. And I don't regret that. He's my little treasure."

Ink decided not to ruin the moment with his paints. He tried to give his voice a bit more happy emotions with his strength:

"Our treasure. And we will do everything we can for him. He will be happy, he will live, like Dreamtale, like all of our Multiverse. Radier is powerful."

In reply: a heavy sigh. Error didn't rush to hope for success. If he was ready to believe in his son, then in Dream…

"Your friend is full of doubt. What did Antivirus say then?"

"He should get rid of all doubts, otherwise we all die," Ink betrayed his friend. "Why, by the way?"

"During the reset of the world or during its change, his code and Radier's code will be written into the world. But emotions, Ink, — that's code as well. Good and bad, they will influence the structure and the final result."

"I see," Ink rubbed his forehead. He, too, had difficulty believing that his friend who was so lost in himself would be able to manage it.

Error deeply breathed in, breathed out and said relentlessly:

"I'm sorry, but if I have any concerns about Dream, I will change our plan," he looked at his husband with eyes full of determination. "I will kill Nightmare. I'm sorry, but I value the life of my son more than the well-being of Dreamtale. And let them resurrect it, reset it, let them do whatever the hell they want with it! The main thing is that he shouldn't be a threat to Radier's life! And you can't stop me!!!"

But Ink wasn't going to.

"Don't forget to call me if you decide. I won't let you go alone to him. And Dream," Ink put out his eyelights for a moment. "I know how bad it will be for him, and, possibly, he won't forgive me, but he will understand. Not at first, but he will."

The older skeletons didn't know that they were being eavesdropped. They thought that their son was still asleep. Radier was hiding in the darkness of the flight of stairs, not wanting to disturb his parents. He hid, listened, became terrified, then dived back into the shadows and appeared in his room.

The young mind tried, as much as it could, to simplify the things that were very hard to understand. But it didn't manage, causing the child's head to spin.

Does EVERYTHING really depend on him?! Can so much really depend on him, such a young person?

Many children live and believe that if they are suddenly no more, then everything else around them will be no more as well. It was normal for them to think of themselves as the centre of the universe. And the existence of the universe without them seems impossible to them. But to believe that you are the centre of everything turned out to be unthinkably difficult.

This responsibility was too great. Greater than the one he was being prepared for.

He was sitting on his bed, looking at the wall and trying to put up with something that even an adult would have difficulty putting up with.

No, it was impossible.

Radier breathed out with difficulty, swallowed his tears and hid under the blanket. He couldn't accept his fate. He was no longer bothered by the thoughts about his real father, about how people around him treated him. None of this was important anymore. What was important now was that fact that it's very likely that he'll die, pulling everyone he loves with him. And, if not him, then Dream.

With difficulty, he managed to remember another name: Nightmare.

From what he gathered from his parents' conversation, if this Nightmare is dead, then neither him, nor Dream would have to risk EVERYTHING and EVERYONE.

His soul was beating deafeningly loudly, there was noise in his ears, and his hands clenched into fists. He wasn't even three years old yet, but he was already thinking about something terrifying: about murder.

"Radi, are you asleep?" Ink came into the room.

Radier put out his eyelights and tried to breathe evenly. But he understood that it didn't work, so he said:

"I don't feel well."

Ink came up to the bed, touched his son's forehead and was surprised by how hot and sweaty the other was.

"You're ill, little one. Sleep, I'll bring some medicine from uncle Sci."

Radier didn't answer, only sighed heavily. When his parent left, he pulled the blanket up to the top of his head and sobbed. He wanted to huddle to his parents and share the terrible thoughts and ideas, but he didn't want to see the pain of disappointment on their faces, so he was worrying about it alone. He obediently drank the healing mixtures that Ink gave him, and listened to the stories that Error read to him. But when Shino came to visit him, he couldn't hold back and burst into tears.

That was the first time when his friend saw him so broken, scared and full of terror. When she found out the reasons for it, she started crying herself.

"Let the grown-ups figure it out. It's their job!"

Those were wise words, to which Radier said the following:

"But they can't do anything either. I don't understand everything for now, but something terribly important is happening. And in this important matter are me, mama, papa, uncle Dream and some kind of Nightmare."

Shino thought about it for a moment:

"Nightmare," she repeated. "Listen, remember that horrible black octopus? The one that was chasing us around Aftertale?"

"As if you can forget someone like that!" Radier kept quiet about seeing him up close in one of the encounters. And he didn't say that he felt some sort of kinship with that being. It was mysterious, and that made it frightening.

"There you go, that is Nightmare."

At first, Radier didn't understand, and then a jigsaw puzzle fell into place in his head, and the boy didn't like it. There were still pieces missing, but those that were there formed an impartial picture.

"He's one of the most powerful entities in our Multiverse," continued Shino. And then, she said something that completely kicked the ground from beneath his feet: "He's the lord of nightmares."


	59. The Abyss Of Truth 2

Slowly, a mad puzzle was falling into place in the child's head. Most of the pieces were literally hammered into the gaps, and a terrifying picture opened up.

Dream told him the story of Dreamtale many times, and in the beginning, Radier didn't see much meaning in it. It was only later that he started to listen, memorise and notice inconsistencies. Lots of different details which now made sense.

And then he began to ask uncle Dream lots of uncomfortable questions, but he tried to approach it carefully so that he didn't frighten off the chatty source of information.

"Uncle Dream, were there golden and black apples growing on the tree?" he asked again, after yet another retelling of the story.

"Yes."

"And one of them became your soul. Are you the guardian of positivity?"

"Yes," Dream continued to nod.

"Then who is the guardian of negativity? Where did all the black apples go? Did someone else get one of them as their soul? My soul isn't an apple, so I know for sure that it isn't me. I'm only the future guardian of negativity. So who was in that place before me?"

Here Dream got nervous and tried to change the subject:

"Let me show you where I stood as a stone statue for five hundred years…"

But Radier cunningly returned him back to the question:

"The one who turned you into a stone statue, was it him who got the black apple?"

Dream was grabbing his head, trying to get away from the question, but Radier was persistent, and the guardian of positivity had to give in:

"I had a brother."

"Had? So you don't have one anymore?"

"I still do! It's just that," Dream tried to find the right words, but couldn't. "It's just that we can't be together anymore. He made a lot of mistakes. I made a lot of mistakes. And now we live apart. But I believe that, one day, he'll change again. Become who he used to be. And you will help with that, because you're a strong boy who has a great destiny ahead."

Back then, he didn't understand how he could help Dream's unknown brother. But now… In his memory, the words of the guardian of positivity surfaced, those that were said by him by the child's bed. A father that he should've helped, not Error and not Ink. Dream was talking about his relative. About his brother!

"Shino," the boy called to his friend. "Have you already understood this?"

"Understood what?" 

"Nightmare. He has tentacles," Radier showed his clawed arms. "Neither of my parents have anything like this. And he can walk around dreams. My parents can't do that. And mama once said that, in the past, he got involved with someone unpleasant, and bad things happened to him. I think that Nightmare was that something bad."

"What are you on about?" Shino was nervously fidgeting on the carpet.

"I think that Nightmare is my real father."

Shino gasped and put her hands over her mouth.

"But… how? As in, why? I… don't understand…"

"Me neither," Radier looked down and sniffed. "If he's my parent, then why did he want to kill me? Why does Dream think that I can help him? Why was mama so afraid of him and why did he hate him?"

"Well, maybe, he's sick? In the head?" Shino suggested carefully. "Maybe he doesn't remember about you, like my parent?"

Radier thought about it, remembered the feeling of the encounter. No! Nightmare surely knew of their kinship and really wanted to cut off this connection by tearing the child's head off.

"That would've been a good reason," the little nightmare pressed his knees to his forehead, "but no. He earnestly loathes me for being his child."

"Then how can you help him?"

"What I'm trying to understand more is why should I help him? I wouldn't refuse tearing his head off either. It's because of him that it's bad for mama, he had nightmares when I was younger. He still doesn't feel well if there's a mention of Nightmare. The octopus is bad!"

Shino tried to find excuses for the parent that intruded into the child's life, but couldn't. No matter what the cause was, it didn't change the point.

But Radier wasn't only tormented by this. Sobbing, he asked:

"Why are they trying to lay so much upon me?! I didn't ask for this!!!"

Shino was looking sadly at her friend and didn't know how to calm him down. She was just crying quietly, supporting the dreary atmosphere, and repeated:

"This is cruel. We're only children."

"Children?" Radier stared at her with wild eyes. "Children our age play in sandpits! We're not children, Shino, we're some sort of beasts from scary stories."

"Yes, children!" the girl smiled sadly. "Children of beasts! I don't know who to blame for the way that we are, but, Radier, it's not our fault! And yes, they're trying to lay something heavy on us. But," she walked up to her friend and hugged him, "we'll manage. I don't know why your real father wanted to kill you. What's the difference anyway? He's bad. And you already have good parents. They love you, and only want good things for you. And you also have me. And I will always support you."

Radier tightly hugged his friend. 

"Will everything be okay?"

"Everything will be okay."

The children didn't know that someone was watching them and making plans. There are those who know how shaky the Multiverse was, and they don't want to rock it further. That someone had a plan.


	60. Recklessness 1

That someone appeared unexpectedly quietly and, pressing a finger to his mouth, offered the children to go into the portal with a gesture.

Shino and Radier were frightened: they thought of Ink's house as an inaccessible fortress. But then, the little nightmare understood who he was looking at. He was well described in his father's friends' conversations, unaware that they were being eavesdropped. It's their new friend — Antivirus. He's a guardian too and helps them fight Nightmare. So he's a good guy, right?

"Hello," Radier said quietly. "If you're here to see papa, he's downstairs."

"No, I'm here for you."

Shino looked from her friend to the unexpected guest and back, and couldn't decide what she should do. Her inner feeling was crying out to call the grown-ups, but the girl didn't move. To her, it seemed that if she risked leaving now, she'd never see her dear friend again. This skeleton will lure him away like the wolf from a fairy tale. So she clasped her friend and tried to share her nervousness with him. But Radier was too immersed in talking with the guest and didn't notice his friend's silent pleas.

"And what do you need from me?" asked Radier.

"Oooh!" Antivirus held out and pointed with his index finger up, then pointed it at the child. "Not to me from you, but to you from me."

"Alright," Radier said in the same tone as the "oooh", and corrected himself: "What do I need from you?"

Antivirus smiled and returned into the portal:

"Everything that you need to defeat Nightmare," he knew — he'll now go to him by his own will.

Shino continued to hold her friend and stood rooted to the spot, and only that didn't let the boy run into the portal. He was looking at her in misunderstanding, while she — in terror.

"I don't like this!" she whispered. "We shouldn't!"

"You shouldn't, but I want to…"

"Radi, Nightmare is grown up, dangerous and powerful."

"I'm powerful too!"

"But you have no experience. Besides, do you think that it's that simple to kill someone? Especially your parent?"

Radier frowned. He was wavering in hesitation. One thing was to think about someone else's death, another was to actually kill. Especially a monster who was related to him by magic.

"But if he's no more, it will be easier for me. It will be easier for everyone. So I want to try!" the boy made an attempt to tear himself away, but Shino was holding on tightly.

"I won't let you go alone!" she hissed, a fire of determination burning in her eye. "I'm coming with you."

The children stepped into the portal.

Antivirus breathed out quietly. He couldn't influence Shino's code, so he was worried that she'll ruin his plans by telling everyone who took the little nightmare away. The fighter against viruses planned to hold her at his place. He wanted no excess victims. Especially those… that Death himself will seek revenge for. A lot, often, and with taste. He'll have enough of Ink and Error to deal with in the future.

Making the choice, Antivirus got to fulfilling his simple plan. And this plan was ready for a long time, thanks to the fact that the discussions with the other side went without any problems.

At first, Killer didn't understand why he was kidnapped. By Nightmare's orders, he went to explore some world, and everything was going to plan, until someone's portal swallowed him. Good thing it didn't chew him, and immediately spat him out into the familiar white nothing. 

At first, Killer thought that the world collapsed and threw the element that was unforeseen by the code into the Void. But then he was wrapped by paws with claws and turned him to face the new guardian — Antivirus.

"Hello."

Killer howled on the inside: as if it wasn't already enough, now he was going to be held prisoner and cause more problems for his boss. His face didn't change and he continued to grin. He was awaiting the tortures, demands and other horrors. But, instead, he heard this:

"I have a business proposal for your boss."

"What can a guardian propose?" Killer was surprised.

"The child that he can't catch. But I want Virus in exchange."

"What's your reason to betray your friends?"

Antivirus looked away and said:

"Sometimes, sacrifices should be made. And I'm ready to bring that sacrifice. Let them hate me afterwards. But I want calm and order for our Multiverse."

Obviously, Killer reported this luck with great joy. Not only will his boss get the boy, but that abortion of code will leave their team as well. Of course, this all could turn out to be a trap, but the bait was too good. So, soon, Antivirus met the lord of nightmares and they chose the time and place where the child will be sent.

"How will we get Antivirus to you? I don't think he'll willingly put on his manacles and give himself up."

Antivirus had an answer to that — or rather, a special substance. He handed Nightmare a green sphere with a cross on it. 

"This will paralyze him, but not for long. Just break it near him, and I will come and get him."

"Only after I will have the little nightmare in my grasp."

They shook hands and tentacles.

And the plan was almost complete

The children were looking around. Around them, there were lots of inventions and all types of computer things — there was even a mechanical arm waving at them.

While the children were distracted, Antivirus abandoned the face of a good guy, and a shadow of desperate determination appeared on his face. He knew that he was leading the child to a certain death, but he made this decision carefully and consciously. On one side of the scales, there was EVERYTHING, on the other — only one life. The choice was obvious for him. And he also gets a bonus — Virus. Finally, he can take that beast under control and place him in a quarantine until he calms down.

Only wishing for two rabbits meant that both can run away.

"So what do you suggest we do with Nightmare?" asked Radier.

Antivirus grinned:

"Chase him into a trap, of course. And, since he wants you, you will be the bait. But no one should know and get involved. You don't want your parents, especially Error, to get hurt, do you?" Radier definitely didn't want that. "Well done. So stay here for a couple of minutes, while I get the trap ready. Alright?"

As soon as Antivirus left the Void, Shino pounced onto her friend:

"He shouldn't be trusted! I think that he'll trick us, and you'll get hurt again! Maybe you'll even die!"

The girl grabbed her head. Her father didn't let her in on the details of his job, and especially didn't share the information about when it will be time for their friends to go, and therefore the girl was afraid that today could be the day of her friend's death. She didn't even think about her own end, she was so worried about her friend.

"Everything will be okay," Radier pulled a smile onto his face and tried to cheer up his friend. "I don't want EVERYTHING to disappear, so everything will be alright in any case."

If Shino had hair, it would stand on end from such words. She wanted to persuade her friend to return home, but then the owner of this Void returned.

A portal opened up hospitably in front of Radier.

"You, young lady, stay here," Antivirus tried to stop Shino, but the girl was the first to jump into the portal, followed by the little nightmare.

Antivirus sighed heavily, and, waiting for the scheduled minute, only after the familiar, loud signal of Virus being grabbed in chains, he followed the children.


	61. Recklessness 2

Everything happened utterly fast.

Radier only had to show his nose out of the portal, as he was blinded by a flash. When he blinked it away, he saw that the skeleton with red marks was bound in manacles and lying on the floor, unable to move. It was apparent that the bindings were absorbing all his magic and he would need lots of time to escape.

The one that interested the child was standing nearby and wasn't burning him with the expected hatred. He was sooner exuding curiosity. He seemed like a tall, monolithic slab, looked down on them, breathed out pure negative energy, poisoning everything around him with its miasma.

Shino squeaked and hid behind Radier. She left the portal a moment later after her friend.

Radier realised that it was all a trap when Antivirus greeted the lord of nightmares and took away the bound prisoner. He then hurriedly left the world, closing the portal behind himself. He wanted to take Shino as well, but the girl dodged him and stuck out her tongue at him.

That's how the children ended up in the company of the most terrible monster (judging by stories and conclusions) and his loyal servant, who was standing at the side and turning up his nose at what was happening.

The little nightmare didn't know what to do next. He didn't think the plan through this far. He was still a child and thought that the main thing was to find the evil, and a weapon would be somewhere close by. There was nothing. His thoughts left his wild head, leaving it empty. Because his father was standing in front of him. A monster that was related to him by magic.

Contrary to the confused Radier and the frozen Shino, Nightmare didn't waste time. His tentacles wrapped around the two children and lifted them above the floor.

Radier tried to leave through the darkness of negativity, but he wasn't a lord yet, and the active lord of nightmares didn't command. He was trying to break free with his strength: he bit, scratched, kicked out — but he couldn't loosen the tentacles. Watching his suffering, Nightmare was smiling, and that smile, like an epitaph on a gravestone, forced goosebumps to run on his body.

"Well, well, well," the lord of nightmares said, "a young prince and his princess. What an encounter!"

Radier thought that they were going to be killed then. But Nightmare looked at the children from all sides and suddenly put the little ones on the floor. He wasn't interested in Shino anymore, so he paid no attention to her, he was looking only at Radier. He only had to look at her and she hid behind the boy. The little nightmare stuck out his clawed paws and was ready to defend his friend with the cost of his own life.

But Nightmare didn't attack them. He continued to look at the boy, and his gaze was clinging onto the confirmations that Radier was Error's son. Dark, with glitches and a very displeased face. Quiet like him. Even his facial expressions were similar. The eyes were the same shape. He couldn't make out who was the second father from this mix. 

"So, are you Dream's son?" asked Nightmare.

Radier was surprised. No, he wasn't Dream's son. But he's not going to scream about that, is he? Let the enemy think what he wants.

"Silence — a sign of agreement. Hm, and who was raising you besides my brother? Let me guess, Ink? Yes, maybe him," the lord of nightmares was thinking out loud. "However, that's not important. I'm interested in something else entirely," he asked the next question with a tremble: "Did Error give birth to you? Is that right?"

Radier was silent once again, but his expressions said everything in detail.

The black octopus's smile became wider and madder, and the idea to keep this child for himself was burning brighter than the sun.

"Then it's decided! You're MINE now."

Shino shuddered from the alarm that pierced through her. That "mine" was said not like from a parent about a child, but about a valuable item. Or an animal, an expensive pet, on which one would waste time and energy only for the feeling of possession of such a rare specimen.

Radier was silent again, even though a kettle of fury boiled inside of him. A thought screamed in his head: it was his choice to decide who has the right to talk about who he belongs to! And Nightmare definitely wasn't someone that was allowed to do so!

But Radier managed to keep the storm inside himself, for he wasn't the only one held captive. Shino was huddling to him, and he dragged her along into this stupid adventure. Right now, unable to defend himself and his friend, he felt, like never before, like a weak child and he wanted to be saved. Because the one that was standing before him seemed like an embodiment of all bad things that were inside of him, that his parents experienced, that could happen in the future.

Shino continued to hide behind her friend, and she didn't know whether she should praise herself for preventing the deadly battle of the two nightmares, or to reproach herself. She knew that while she was near, her friend will care for her safety and he won't let hatred take control of him, he won't attack Nightmare.

And, regardless of the fact that she was very scared, she was triumphant on the inside, because, if the battle had happened, she would've lost Radier. Because even if Radier won and killed his father, it would've broken him on the inside.


	62. Recklessness 3

When he found the children's room empty, Error didn't think about anything bad. He thought that the children were playing somewhere in the house. He went around every room, didn't find them and only then began to worry.

"Maybe they went for a walk and didn't think to warn us."

He called Blue, who called his brother and Alphys — the children weren't in Underswap. He called Dream — they weren't in Dreamtale either. He called Reaper.

"What??? What do you mean they're not at home???"

Error didn't finish listening, he ended the call.

"Ink!!! The children are missing!!!"

Reaper leaped out of a portal, and, making sure that Radier and Shino weren't playing hide-and-seek, and didn't leap out from behind corners at the threats of being spanked with the scythe's handle, he believed that there was trouble.

Panic dawned on them. The skeletons were running around worlds like crazy, Dream intruded into dreams, Reaper was shaking information off his clients. Nothing! Only after a couple of hours, Blue suggested that they should ask Antivirus. His part of the Void was closed off, which was strange. He didn't pick up any calls.

"Right. I don't like this!" said Error. "His Void is closed on locks that I'll be picking for a week — and it's not a fact that I'll break them."

"You think he took the children? Why?" Ink was trying not to drink any fear and worry to keep his mind clear.

"What if the children aren't with him?" Dream thoughtfully rapped his fingers on the table, his eyelights disappeared from his eye sockets. "Ink, what is his relationship with Virus?"

The skeletons shared a look. They didn't know exactly what relationship those two had, but Antivirus mentioned that he wants Virus back and return him to normal.

Could he have played a dirty trick on them for the sake of achieving his goal?

"You think he swapped the children for Virus?" Blue was terrified. "Does that mean that the lord of nightmares has Radier and Shino?"

Everyone became scared then.

Error and Ink were thinking to run and burst into battle into Nightmare's castle, but they were stopped.

"Stop!!!" Dream felt like he was the only one sober-minded. "We don't know for sure if the children are with him. And you two are going to show up and say that you're alive??? Are you insane???"

"Go away!!!" the panicking parents barked at him.

"No! Ink, Error, calm down! I'll go, with… Reaper, will you accompany me?"

Ink and Error synchronously looked at death. Their gazes were pleading.

Reaper was, too, a worried parent like them and was afraid for his child's life in the same way, but he hesitated with the answer. He was Death, and he had a lot of rules and principles that he shouldn't break.

He shouldn't have gone to one of the sides. He should've been a neutral force which sees no difference between right and wrong, between good and evil. But his dear daughter was on one side of the scales. Even if she doesn't have an hourglass, what if she's mortal? Reaper wouldn't be able to get over her death.

"Yes, I'll come with you, Dream."

"Error, Ink, don't do anything stupid," Dream told them before leaving. "If anything happens," he shook a vial of ink, "I'll call you. Don't even leave the house without it! Blue, look after them!"

Blue saluted, and, hiding concern behind a smile, began to calm his friends. Dream and Reaper jumped into a portal that led into the dark part of the Multiverse, into Heaventale that was infected with negativity. When they were already approaching it, they stopped to catch their breath and morally prepare for the battle.

Reaper gave a heavy sigh: he secretly looked at Dream's hourglass and saw that there were only a couple of pinches of sand left. He already told Life that, for the sake of his own happiness, he wants to go against the rules. But he wanted to do that for Dream. But if Shino's in danger, then… the choice is… There isn't one.

"I'm sorry," whispered the reaper, embracing his loved one.

Dream was smiling sadly. He knew that if Reaper will have to choose who he will fight for, he'll choose to fight for his child. And that's right. Even Dream was going to be saving the children before anything else.

"What are you apologizing for?"

"For being Death. I have rules that I shouldn't break. I live with the thought that everyone I see today can be by the line tomorrow. And I will have to take away their lives. And one day, I will take away yours," he gave his loved one a short kiss.

Dream didn't get scared, he didn't recoil. He smiled:

"Well, I hope that this world will become a bit better when that moment comes, and I won't feel sad leaving it. I'll believe that I've done enough in it. And, hey, after some time, the Creators can return me, right?"

"But it won't be you. Geno doesn't remember. He became different. And I'm happy for him. And you, even if you will be reborn, won't be someone I know now. You won't be the one with whom I shared nights and gave kisses to, not the one that I'm opening up my soul to right now. So, I'm asking you not to die."

"I promise…"

"Sanses hate to make promises," grunted Reaper.

Dream grinned at that:

"My roots are that of a SwapSans, so I'm more of a Papyrus than a Sans. And Papyruses always keep their promises."

Together, they stepped into the world that was immersed in negativity.


	63. The Ethereal

The children felt like they were tightened strings. They weren't tormented in a dungeon, they weren't threatened with tortures. They were sat down on the couch and given tea with cookies. It seemed that they should've been happy, but they couldn't be happy under Nightmare's gaze, which was burning with curiosity.

It was difficult to swallow anything, but they made a look like nothing bad was happening and their lives weren't hanging by a thread. Radier already tried to use magic, and realised that he can't move to a different world or the Void from this world. But he could still move through shadows and use the arms made of negativity, which means that, in case of danger, he could play a game of tag. He didn't want to fight adults anymore. Shino was right — the grown-up nightmare had more experience in fighting, — so Radier continued to behave quietly and peacefully.

By Killer's humble opinion, his boss had no idea what to do with the children. That's why he sat them down to have tea, and himself to brood.

He was right: Nightmare knew nothing about children. He didn't know how to raise them, how to feed them right so that they didn't die. He wasn't even able to figure out the age of the children that were before him. Two, three, four, five? He counted by Error's death, and assumed that they were about four. However, that wasn't important, what was important was that Radier evoked a strange feeling of a relational closeness. The very same feeling that he felt when he was near Dream. But it quickly got covered by fury. And that left a pulling, painful mark on his soul.

Nightmare continued to study the boy with his gaze, clinging onto new details of not only features now, but character as well. If the little one was calm on the outside, then inside he was like a multicoloured tangled ball of yarn of conflicting emotions. That reminded him of himself. The one who couldn't protect himself. The past that was buried long ago.

"Dream's son, but he's like me. He was probably very surprised and annoyed with that," thought Nightmare.

"Boss," Killer broke the silence. His voice was oozing with scepticism, "do you really want to keep this child for yourself?"

"I thought I already said yes."

"What do we do with the girl?"

The adults burned the girl with their gazes, and she choked on the tea and pressed herself even more to Radier.

There was a pause. The lord of nightmares was trying to figure out Shino's relatives. And he guessed one of the fathers right:

"There used to be a skeleton with a glitch over his eye, a prisoner of the Save Screen."

"The glitches are similar," agreed Killer. "But that skeleton has long since ceased to exist, and Aftertale's Save Screen is empty."

"In any case, I saw her in that world once, so we'll chuck her in there."

"But maybe…?" a knife flashed in Killer's hands.

Shino and Radier hugged each other and pressed into the back of the couch.

"A brilliant start to a relationship with a child: kill his friend," snorted Nightmare and turned to the children. "You won't die today. You," he pointed at Shino, "will go with that man to your native world," he pointed at the displeased Killer, then he pointed at Radier. "And you and I will have a talk," his smile came out fairly bloodthirsty, regardless of the fact that Nightmare was trying to be sweet.

Radier breathed in and out a couple of times and suddenly copied the grown-up nightmare's grin:

"I'm sorry, but I'm forbidden to talk with seafood," and he tore away into a dark corner of the room, dragging Shino with him.

At first, Nightmare only grinned: as if the children are trying to escape. But when the darkness of the corner swallowed the children and didn't spit them back out, the grin left his face.

He didn't know where and how the children ran away. But he managed to sense their presence on the castle's fifth floor. They ran galloping up to the fifth floor, but, as they figured out in which room the children were hiding, they appeared on the ground floor again.

"Oh, the little bastard!" growled Nightmare after running around the castle ten times. Even battles with the guardians didn't make him run around so much.

"Nightmare, maybe we should still…?" Killer took out his knife again and looked at his boss with hope. But the other only waved him off:

"I thought I said that they shouldn't be harmed!" He thought for a bit and suggested: "Let's surround them. I'll tell you on the phone where I sense them. Sooner or later, the magic will run out and we'll catch them."

They didn't know that this way of terrorising was sharpened on Dream, Blue, Dust, Papyrus and even Ink. So, only after a few runs here and there, Killer's suggestion didn't seem so bad to Nightmare anymore.

But magic isn't infinite, especially in children, so, soon, the movements slowed down, and then stopped entirely.

"Finally!" Nightmare celebrated a bit too early. He then realised that he doesn't sense the children in the castle at all. "Holy shit!"

Radier was already exhausted after the fifteenth movement through the shadows, but forced himself to do another three. And then he collapsed, his energy gone.

The children knew that they can't play tag with such rules for a long time, so they changed them. The game of hide-and-seek changed from magical to normal, with only one difference: Radier used the last drops of his magic to conceal their auras, feelings and emotions.

"Do you think that they won't find us?" 

"I think they will," Radier disappointed his friend. He peeked out from behind the tree and looked at the castle. "We run, and very quickly."

The children ran through the thick dark forest to get as far away from the castle as possible.

They will be caught, they knew it. And they were just trying to buy themselves some time, so that help would find them alive and unharmed and not captive. And then they can put them in the corner, read them lectures, beat their asses — they just wanted them to save them.

"How terrible!" Shino was fearfully looking at the ruins of the town that was once wonderful. It was full of sorrow, woe and dust.

Radier didn't share her feelings. He had seen things that were way worse: people's thoughts, their nightmares, their secret desires. He could feel them now. And he went straight to the survivors, to hide in their auras and feelings.

"Radi, what are we going to do?"

"You still can't contact your father?"

Shino tried, but the Nightmare's world didn't let her call out:

"No, I can't. But I think that our parents have already understood everything and are looking for us."

"Will they figure out that we're here? Will they find us?"

"I don't know," Shino gave a barely audible sob. She was trying to be strong as much as she could. She was trying to behave like she was grown up.

Radier swayed. He was completely exhausted, both magically and physically.

"I'm going to fall asleep soon," he horrified his friend. "Maybe, our parents aren't too far away. We just need to tell them where we are. I will try to do that. And you will protect me," smiled Radier.

"Me? You?" Shino felt a mix of delight and terror. Her friend was trusting his life to her. To her, a weak girl.

"You can do it. I believe in you."

"You should've believed me when I said that it was a bad idea to go fight with Nightmare!" pouted Shino.

Radier smiled at his friend and yawned: he was already having trouble putting one foot in front of the other. They had very little time left.

They hid in someone's den, and Shino was alone. Radier was fast asleep and was already far away. From somewhere, shouts and cries rang out, crows cawed, dogs howled, the cold wind was chilling her to the marrow, while the little girl took the first stick she found into her hands and began to count. When she reached a thousand, she heard the creaking of snow and heard voices:

"They're somewhere here!"

They were about to be found…

"Gotcha!!!"


	64. Wrong Conclusions

Shino raised the branch before the door opened, and she swung it, uncaring of who she hit and where. Killer choked on air and bent over, pressing his hands to his injured dignity, therefore he didn't react when the girl grabbed the door and slammed it with all the childish strength that she had.

"Why are you lying there?" Nightmare was outraged when he found his loyal servant in a star shape lying in the mud in front of the closed door. Cracks on his skull and pelvis induced strange thoughts. "Did the children beat you?"

Killer didn't specify that he didn't even have time to fight anyone, and that one nimble girl made him roll around in the mud. He got up, rubbing the bruised parts of his body, and opened the door again. Obviously, no one was there now, but the tracks were clearly showing where the children went. Though, Shino was the only one walking: she was dragging Radier.

The others caught up with them by speed-walking, not rushing on purpose and enjoying the girl's suffering, who was trying to drag her friend faster. When Shino saw the enemies very close to them, she ran across their path and spread out her arms in an attempt to shield her friend, who was still asleep and couldn't wake up.

"Don't come nearer!"

"Or what?" Killer was fiddling with the knife and he intended to use it. He wasn't going to kill — that was the order, — but he wanted to agitate her in revenge for the recent disgrace.

Shino was at a loss. Her magic still hasn't demonstrated itself, so her abilities were still unknown. The girl concentrated as hard as she could, and a thin bone grew out of the ground in the nightmares' way. Only one.

"Oh! The little girl is learning magic," Killer applauded her and broke her first bone with one movement of his finger. Nightmare was silent and didn't get involved with the theatre of absurdity that his follower had created: he was looking at Radier, who was lying too still and seemed breathless.

Meanwhile, Shino was trying to summon a blaster, but either she wasn't inclined towards them, or either she didn't have enough magic, so she just made herself dizzy. And when she could see the world properly again, she saw Killer squatting in front of her, drilling her with his mad gaze.

"Finished?" he asked her, putting the sharp knife to her thin neck.

In the face of death, which her father personified, actually, it was as if a firecracker exploded in her head, and she managed to get a bit more magic out of herself, but not into the surroundings, but into her hand. The killer's knife flew off to the side, while in Shino's hands shone a little, as if a toy, reaper's scythe, decorated with a scarlet bow. Bizarrely crooked, it looked more like a sickle. And if Shino was more decisive and harsh, she wouldn't have stopped on one hit and could've even won. But, ridding her enemy of his weapon, she froze, and that was her defeat.

Killer easily grabbed the girl's fragile arms and lifted her above the ground. The sickle disappeared.

"Finished," said the victor.

Nightmare quietly passed them and approached the sleeping Radier. He lifted him with his tentacles and barely noticeably shuddered, feeling the child's weight. Remembering Ink's foolish death when he broke all of his bones, Nightmare simply put Radier on top of the tentacle. He peered into the child's face and remembered Error's haggard face. The destroyer was ill and weak; he didn't ask for mercy and didn't wish to give up. Till the end, he was a stubborn prideling who was devoted to himself. He passed on those features to his child.

Killer shuddered when he saw how Nightmare's face changed. It became foreign, completely different, somehow defenceless, it was how he had never seen him before.

"Boss?"

Nightmare was startled and came to his senses, became himself again.

"Throw the girl into Aftertale, now! I'll have a talk with this urchin."

"Nooo!" shouted Shino before she was carried into the portal. She was resisting, but couldn't break free. Very soon, she was thrown into a city of humans and monsters. Alone.

Meanwhile, Nightmare invited the child into the world of nightmares. As he did so, he pulled him out of someone's dream.

"Hello, kid. Now we can talk without onlookers."

Radier wasn't frightened by the sudden changes — there are lots of other things that can happen in dreams, — but shivered, finding Nightmare a step away from himself. He tried to attack, but was powerless to the tentacles once again.

"Calm down, kid. You wasted a sea of power playing in my castle, heh heh, so you can't do anything to me now."

Radier wanted to cry from offence, but instead, he bit.

"Ow!" Nightmare pulled the bitey child away from his tentacle and moved him closer to his face. He was looked at with a very recognisable stubborn gaze. Exactly like Error's.

"We have nothing to talk about!" hissed Radier and continued the attempts to break free. No one was threatening Shino anymore, so he could be stubborn and headstrong.

Additional arms sprouted from his back and sunk their sharp claws into Nightmare; from somewhere, appeared toothy nightmares and began to approach their lord.

But Nightmare was still the lord of nightmares, even if the child was more powerful than him. So he simply tutted at the nightmares, and they obediently hung their heads, dissolving in the alarming dream.

"Calm yourself!" Nightmare continued to try to calmly convince Radier. "Now my castle will be your home, and I will be your parent. You should listen to me!"

"No! I already have a home and parents! I don't need you!!!"

Nightmare felt like a sharp knife was traced down his soul. But instead of trying to understand his painful emotions and listen to the voice of reasoning, he started to think of methods to make the child submit himself to him.

"You don't need me while you have Dream, yes? But if he's no more, then…" fires of madness flared up in Nightmare's eyes. And he disappeared, leaving the child alone in the dark cage of a nightmare.


	65. Critical Moment

On the way to Nightmare's world, Reaper's phone rang.

"Hey, Reaper, my son's call finally reached us," came the laggy voice. "Your daughter is in Aftertale. He really wanted us to pass that on to you."

"Thank you, Error."

"I don't care about your "thank you"! Return my son in one piece, feathered bastard!"

Reaper hung up and turned to the keeper of dreams:

"Dream, could you wait here for a couple of minutes? Shino is supposedly in Aftertale. I need to check."

"Then go and check, and I need to get Radier out of my brother's paws. Don't worry, I won't get hurt," Dream reassured him exaggeratedly optimistically and jumped into the portal.

He appeared at the destroyed outskirts of the city and immediately assessed the setup: Shino was nowhere in sight, Radier's unconscious body was in Nightmare's tentacles, Nightmare himself was sleeping standing up, and Killer was keeping watch and ready for battle. Dream rushed to his brother, but Killer stood in his way and nearly beheaded him with the knife. He had to step back and use his staff as a way to get access to the lord of nightmares.

Only the one that he was trying to get to wasn't against greeting him either. He woke up, flailed his tentacles and turned all of his anger to his brother. His rage was so great that even Killer preferred to stay away.

The brothers were both strong: one was as powerful as the other. Their difference was that Dream never wanted his twin to die, but Nightmare… He wanted his brother to suffer! His hatred was great, and his internal reasoning couldn't cope with it.

Nightmare threw the sleeping child to the side and went to battle. Dream lingered in the attempt to understand whether Radier was hurt, whether he was alive.

"Die, brother!" Nightmare taunted him and didn't let him get close to the child that was in painful oblivion. "And when you die, this child will be mine. He won't have anyone else left."

Dream swallowed the exclamation that the child was his son anyway, and continued to evade the maddened nightmare's aggressive attacks. He increased the pressure, taking all of his brother's attention onto himself, as he saw the familiar shadow with the scythe at the ready.

Reaper first made sure that his daughter was in one piece. Shino was in Aftertale, under the watchful eye of resident Sans once again. She said goodbye and was sent to Reapertale, while Reaper himself hurried to return. He stunned Killer, so that he didn't get in the way. He passed Radier over to his parents. The only thing left was to save his loved one, whose hourglass was almost empty. Three measly grains of sand were counting down the moment of the fatal blow.

The god of death was tormented by doubts. Before, when Dream died, the sand in his hourglass didn't run out. The hourglass simply froze, and then after the resurrection continued on their way. But Dream was never killed by his brother before. Therefore, Reaper knew that this death will be his last.

Reaper was always smiling. He was trying to look as if everything was fine. For himself, for his brother, for his friends, for his daughter, and, recently, for Dream as well. Even though he couldn't outwit the last one. The other quickly saw through his lover and made him honest.

"I practiced on Ink. Believe me, it's way harder to find grains of sincerity in that soulless ink stain than in you," but he didn't reproach him. "I'm the same: I hide my true feelings behind a smile. I try to. But it's even worse than yours."

Reaper fell in love with that inefficiency, that sincerity. But he didn't tell him about how little time there was left in his hourglass. He decided to break the rules, even under Life's encouraging nods: he decided to save Dream.

He got there just in time.

Dream was kneeling in front of his brother, and, in his head, thoughts rushed past, each one more frightening than the last. But the main one was this: if he dies, Dreamtale can never be restored, which means that Nightmare won't return to his initial guise. Everything they've gone through would be in vain.

Two tentacles lifted him by the arms. The other two were ready to impale his body. The golden apple in his chest trashed like a bird against his ribs.

"Well, brother, this is the end."

Death cannot be evaded. Nightmare won't show mercy. Then…

"Error is alive," he has no choice. For the sake of Dreamtale. For the sake of his brother. For the sake of the future. He will tell what he has sworn to keep a secret.

The whisper was barely audible, but Nightmare heard and didn't deliver what should've been the fatal blow.

"What did you say?"

Suddenly, someone's heavy hand dropped into his shoulder, and someone's cold, terror-inducing voice demanded:

"Get away from my couple!"

Nightmare slowly turned and was face to face with death. With, damn him, Reaper. In whose eyes burned a fire that incinerated his soul like a cold vice. The sharp tip of the scythe playfully scratched the octopus between his shoulder blades.

Nightmare's face fell, his mouth opened and closed repeatedly. This is what he wasn't expecting, his brother's lover in the flesh. Who knew that the flesh would belong to a god! The god of death!

The tentacles let go, and Dream fell down. Nightmare himself ran off the battlefield as fast as he could, grabbing Killer on the way. He wanted Radier as well, but he disappeared.

Dream was sitting on his knees, unable to stand up. The fight and the closeness of his end made him exhausted. Reaper sat near him and tightly embraced him, pressed him to himself till their bones crunched.

"You're alive, my love."

Dream's hourglass counted off the last grain of sand, froze, turned over and the golden sand continued the countdown with the little sand grains. There was lots of sand.

Dream hugged Reaper in return and sobbed. He didn't know that he was supposed to disappear today, but, for some reason, experienced intense relief and hid his face in the black robe, hiding his tears.

"All for you," he mumbled, trying to make his voice sound even.

"You dummy," laughed the god of death and dumbfounded the other: "I think it's time we made our relationship official."

"Is that how you hint at a wedding?" Dream was so surprised that he forgot to cry.

"No," grinned Reaper and winked, "first I'll introduce you, expectedly, to my daughter," Dream hiccuped. He could hardly imagine that someone would call him papa. "And to our shared friends," Dream turned blue, imagining their reaction. But he didn't have time to ask the other to wait with such drastic changes in their lives, as Reaper lifted him in his arms and said: "And I will do that right now!"

Dream wanted to be happy, but his soul tightened, knowing that he had let Error's secret out. Another question was this: had Nightmare taken his words seriously?


	66. Obsession 1

Ink and Error leaned over their son. Radier wasn't waking up. And Dream was taking his time somewhere!

"Is everything alright with him?" Error was restlessly rushing around the bed.

"I'm sure he'll wake up soon."

"But I'm not!" the black skeleton stroked his son's head and shrank into himself. "What if he's still in Nightmare's grasp and can't wake up because he's being held in captivity? I'm even afraid to just think what that psychopath can do with a child! Ink, I'm so scared!"

"I know," Ink pressed his shivering husband to himself and promised: "Everything will be okay. Whatever happens, we'll manage it. Together."

Dream showed up half an hour later. He looked considerably guilty, and tried not to look his friends in the eyes. However, the others didn't give him a second to explain himself — they pounced on him like piranhas at a corpse.

"Where were you?!"

"I'm sorry," Dream looked down. "First I had to sort out my brother, then Reaper," he didn't know how to tell them about what he did. "I'm sorry…"

"Later," Error waved his words away. "First tell me: what is wrong with Radier?!"

Dream raised his head and asked him again in surprise:

"What's wrong with him?"

"He's not waking up," Ink pointed in the direction of the child's room.

Dream immediately forgot about his fault and rushed to his nephew. He leaned over him and touched their foreheads together and closed his eyes. But he couldn't get into the child's dream.

His friend's frightened look broke Error's last plank of reason and he opened a portal into Nightmare's world. Thankfully, the others managed to hold onto him.

"I'll go to that bastard and beat the shit out of him!!!"

"I understand your wish well," Ink blocked the way with himself and, his eyelights flashing red, shouted: "But you shouldn't be so reckless!"

"I will be!" Error growled in reply. "He has my child's consciousness! And I won't let him break him like he broke me! And if you don't get out of the way…"

"I can't have you in danger as well! I won't get out of your way! Even if you kill me!"

Dream intervened in the husbands' clash, like a referee in a boxer match.

"I'm afraid I have to tell you about something," he said. He took a deep breath and said: "Nightmare nearly killed me, and, to keep my life and distract him, I said something that I should've kept quiet about," he sighed deeply and looked at the destroyer and, with a voice full of remorse, admitted: "I told him that you're alive, Error."

The black skeleton froze and paled.

"You what?"

"Dream, is that true, or did you just want to shock us so that we didn't fight?" Ink said hopefully.

Dream bowed his head guiltily:

"I didn't have a choice. If I died and Nightmare got the last golden apple, it would've been impossible to resurrect me. And Dreamtale would've been impossible to reset without Nightmare's direct sincere wish. But that will never happen. I'm sorry. I betrayed you."

Ink sighed, drank some white paint and without the pressure of emotions understood that such an act was right, even if hasty. Therefore, he wasn't mad at his friend, unlike Error, who was standing there, shivering and horrified. But he quickly pulled himself together and returned to the question about the child again:

"I'll talk with you later," he gave out exhaustedly. "It would be better if you tell us: how do we get back Radier?"

Radier woke up in a room that was piled with toys and sweets up to the ceiling. He knew that he was still asleep, and he knew that he was held captive. But what he didn't know was why he was treated like that. He was treated too patiently and kindly.

Nightmare was doing everything he could to show his better side to the child.

"Let me go," asked Radier.

"No," came the voice out of nowhere. "You'll stay here."

"Why do you need me?"

"You're Error's son."

"And?"

Nightmare was silent. He couldn't describe this "And" either. Why does he want to keep close the son of the monster that he nearly tortured to death? Why does this child make a flame of long-forgotten emotions burn in his soul?

"Do you want anything?"

"I want to go home."

Nightmare appeared near him. He sat down into a position exactly like Radier's, and asked tiredly:

"Is Dream really your second parent?"

In reply: silence.

"Your parent-Error is alive, yes? Was Dream telling the truth?"

In reply, Radier frowned and kept quiet. However, that question didn't bother Nightmare anymore. A thought entered his head — it was scary and depressing, sweet and pleasant — maybe, this isn't Dream's child? Maybe, it's his child?

When the lord of nightmares was raping Error, he didn't think of the consequences: he just wanted to break and subdue him. He wanted the powerful black monster to belong only to him, to obey only him, to be only his. He refused to listen to the voice of his internal reasoning that begged him: "Don't! You'll be sorry!" — which turned out to be right. Nightmare regretted what he did, and when he thought that he killed him, and now, when he saw the child, who was a father to him by magic, but wasn't the parent that led him into life.

Wasn't — will be!

Nightmare saw a lot of his own features in this child and was surprised by every single one.

His child. His child, from the only one to whom he had experienced even a gram of warm feelings, was sitting in front of him and drilled him with a displeased gaze. And why experiencED? ExperiencES. Nightmare smiled sweetly from the thought that not all is lost yet and that he can see Error again, own him, become his master.

The internal reasoning was trying to break through the manic thoughts and shout how wrong it was to desire something like that. But instead of shouting, Nightmare only heard a silent whisper, which was unable to change the way of his sick thoughts.

"This is your home," he said to Radier. "And you won't be alone. Soon, I will bring Error back. And this time, he won't be able to run away from me."


	67. Decision

Unable to grab the main cause of the tragedy by the throat, Error decided to finally meet Antivirus. And talk with him. The conclusion of that conversation should've been a puppet stuffed with dust.

He broke his defence quickly and mercilessly: even if it harmed him — he had to go through more than ten reboots — he still got what he wanted. The defence fell and let him break into the enemy's lair. He was awaiting rebuffs, fighting, excuses, but he was met only by silence. The enemy was sitting with his back to him and didn't rush to defend himself. He was hunched over and guilty.

Antivirus was looking at the quarantine bulb, where Virus was sleeping peacefully. He didn't even turn around to look at the visitor.

"You!!!" the destroyer's voice was glitching so much that it was hard to work out a simple word. "Because of you my child is being held prisoner!!!" 

Antivirus only hunched over even more, but didn't turn around.

"I'm sorry," he said drily. "The life of the whole Multiverse is more important than the life of a single child."

Error growled. He should've summoned his strings and just torn that bastard apart, but instead he came up to him and hit him on the skull.

Antivirus fell down and stayed on the floor, he didn't try to get up, his gaze was empty, exactly like Ink's when he forgot to drink his paints.

"You can kill me if that'll make you feel better," he said.

Squinting, Error summoned his strings and lifted the victim above the floor. Only after that he turns his attention to the second living thing. Virus was sleeping, hugging his spherical pets. He looked serene, but somehow not alive. It seemed like he wasn't even breathing.

"Don't touch him!" Antivirus perked up when Error stretched his hand out to the bulb. "He's in an artificial coma. Don't wake him up."

"Ink said that he's important to you," Error didn't listen and touched the bulb. He looked at its code and frowned. The skeleton inside wasn't just in a coma: he was literally cut off from magic, the world and even the Void. But it wasn't the time to sympathize, the black skeleton wanted otherwise. "What will happen if he's no more?"

Antivirus threw a gaze full of terror at the destroyer and started to shake:

"Error, I'm your enemy, not him. Do what you think is right with me, but don't touch Virus!"

"Well, well," Error's smile gave off a carnivorous desire to spill blood. "So he really is important to you. And if this treasure is to be taken away from you, you'll suffer exactly like I am — without my treasure. Right?"

"Don't!" howled Antivirus, watching how the black skeleton is breaking the defence, asking questions on the way:

"What are you? Lovers?"

"No. Please!"

"But do you love him?"

"Yes!"

"And you would do anything for him?"

"Yes! I will do anything, just don't touch him!"

Error stopped. He thought Antivirus was a prudent and smart guardian and didn't expect pleas and tears from him.

"Please…"

"Why do you care about him so much? You knew that I'll be looking for revenge, but you still endangered my child! And saved this idiot!" Error felt uneasy. He saw himself and Ink from the past in those two. But their story was different, and soon he understood how.

"When I first appeared, Virus was a child. I did everything I could to try to raise him well, but I couldn't. I saw how he was going downhill, but I didn't stop loving him. I tried to stop him going too far, but I wasn't able to. And then you disappeared, and it was as if his hands were untied. And I was simply keeping track of him, until I found out about your child. And I was even glad, until I found out that the little nightmare can destroy our Multiverse. While wishing to give everyone a better fate, you can destroy everything. And Virus too. And when I had to decide, I decided. You can hate me for it. Kill me. Injure me. But I would've done the same thing even if you went back in time. Because I love Virus, he's my child. And I will protect him and try to preserve the world that we live in for him. Isn't that what all parents do, Error?"

Error went into a reboot. He felt a heaviness in his soul that he couldn't cope with. Only a few years ago, he would've destroyed those two without thinking and stuffed their dust into puppets. But not now, when he was a parent himself and re-examined his life.

What would've he done, if he had to choose between the future for his own child and someone else's? Obviously, he would fight for his own — there's no thinking about that.

It was hard to realise that that problem in the bulb was someone's child. He looked quite grown up.

"If I let you live, where's the guarantee that you won't fuck up again?"

"There is none."

Error threw a look full of pain at Antivirus and knew that he won't be able to kill those two. But he couldn't leave them to walk around freely without supervision either.

"There's no guarantee," said Error. "Then we'll have to make some," strings wrapped around Antivirus's soul and they seemed to sink into it. "You dragged my child into problems, so you'll have to help us to drag him back out. When I'll call you, you will come, if you ignore it — you die."

The black skeleton decided to finish it there. He went home and fell into the armchair near his son's bed, his strength gone. Ink was sitting on the bed and reading stories to the sleeping boy.

"I hope he can hear me," said Ink, instead of a "welcome back".

"We will save him. Dream said that Radier is safe. It appears that Nightmare hasn't harmed him yet. And if he believed that I'm alive, he may try to swap Radier for me."

"I don't want to lose either of you."

"I know. But if he offers it, I will accept. No matter what he does to me, I will live through it. If it means that our little one will be okay. And, Ink, if there's no other way, I'll go to him myself. I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For my decision."

"I forgive you."

Error came up to Radier, looked at his serene face and whispered:

"I promise, little one, everything will be alright soon," Error raised his head and looked up. He hoped that he is seen, he is heard. And so he prayed for the first time, falling to his knees. "Hey, you, artists, Creators, storytellers, my own schizophrenia. Doesn't matter! I know that you are watching us and listening to us, and know about everything that's happening here. And that's why I'm on my knees and beg you! Don't take my child's life away!!!"


	68. Welcome

Radier was lonely. He didn't want any treats that Nightmare offered to him in his dream and nothing that he could come up with himself. The toys didn't interest him either. He would've given it all away if it meant that his family and Shino would be with him. But the only one who was near him was his father. Related by blood, but not by spirit.

The boy felt some kind of rejection when he was near his parent. His attempts to be kind tasted like rancid butter or sour milk. He wanted to grimace and leave, but the dream became a prison and didn't let him go.

"I want to go home."

"You are home!" Nightmare firmly repeated.

"I'm in a prison."

Nightmare clenched his fists and muttered curses through his teeth, left and woke up. He wanted the child to take his place and force him to obey him, but he couldn't raise his hand at him. Everything inside him began to boil and bubble from the single thought to harm his own child. An heir. And a rival at the same time.

Even if Radier was still little, he was showing an unprecedented potential and was ready to take his father's place at the unenviable post. And he was also crowned. A crown was shining on his skull: a big hint at the prepared future.

With all of those worries, Nightmare didn't even notice Dream's weak attempts to call out to him through the dreams.

"I think I've shut myself in a chest. Tight, smelling of dust, maybe with a corpse at the bottom. I bang the lid till there's blood on my bones, but no one hears me. And even if anyone does hear me, I have the key, but the lock is on the outside. A hopeless dead end."

"What are you talking about, Boss?" Killer didn't know whether Nightmare was talking to himself or whether he was addressing him. Recently, the first was happening fairly often.

"Forget it," the lord of negativity waved him off and held a spherical vessel in his tentacles, which contained the child's consciousness. "It doesn't concern you in any case."

Killer reacted reservedly to such things. Even though inside him a storm raged, no smaller than the one inside the woe-parent. He was with him for a long time, he supported him in the toughest minutes, hours, days, years — and suddenly… it doesn't concern him.

"We should've gotten rid of that kid," muttered the murderer. He didn't like how Boss changed under the influence of the wish to protect someone. "It's as if he doesn't understand that he should primarily keep himself away from the other."

Killer sensed how changes were approaching them with that child. Unwanted changes, changes that turned everything upside down. Nothing will be like before. It wasn't like before for a long time now.

"And it's still that Error. Damn him! If Night wouldn't have bitten him on his black ass, Dust and Horror would be still here. Everything would've been…" Killer suddenly fell silent, finding himself thinking what made him run away from his native universe. Lack of change. Boredom. What made him step onto the path of bloodshed. And suddenly he wants something to be permanent!

"I'm contradicting myself. It seems like I've completely gotten myself tangled in my wishes," admitted Killer and went to patrol the surrounding area around the castle. Anyone can break in and try to take away the little hostage at any moment. And, dammit, Killer wasn't sure if he would be one hundred percent against an outcome like that. Though the option to kill everyone by the bunch seemed more appealing to him.

Dream would work on the child daily, but he couldn't break through his brother's defence. So he simply shook his head, admitting powerlessness. All that the sorrowful parents could do was to feed the life of the child's body with their magic. 

Nightmare didn't contact them and didn't show any demands. The tension grew.

Ink tried to support his spouse in any way he could, but his hands fell down every time he saw the eyes full of determination.

"I won't go without preparation," the black skeleton reassured him. "I know what's waiting for me there, and I know how little chances I'll have to withstand him. I'm strong until they use my son as a shield."

They developed a lot of options, threw away an infinite number of ideas, but not one plan could guarantee success. Everything was left to the will of incident and luck. And also to surprise.

"He doesn't know that I'm alive," Ink hugged his husband. "He doesn't expect my appearance. So I'll try to hit from behind."

"I'll help too," Dust entered the house. He was wearing a coat that was identical to his old one, and in his eyes burned the same determination as the one in the destroyer's. "You accepted me as a friend, helped me come to my senses and allowed me to overcome the shit that I was stuck in. So I can't stand aside."

Blue encouragingly nodded to the words of his roommate and joined the trip to defeat Nightmare:

"No one will stand aside."

Dream nodded, affirming everything that was said.

Error looked at the gathering of the idiotic and brave and felt the warmth of hope in his chest. He's not alone, not anymore. He has family and friends who were ready to share the difficult journey with him.

"Alright. But we follow the plan. No matter what happens, no matter what happens to me, you won't stray from the plan. Otherwise we lose."

The tension grew. Nightmare still hadn't announced an ultimatum to the guardians, didn't put forward any demands, and the child still wasn't trying to contact them. The lord of nightmares was waiting for something, and he got it.

"Um, Boss?" Killer looked at a loss. He was looking out of the window and didn't believe his eyes.

"What?" asked Nightmare irritatedly, not breaking away from communicating with his son who was shut in a dream.

"I think I see a ghost," Killer gave out and stepped aside, letting Nightmare himself look at how a very familiar dark figure goes through the gates.

"I don't believe it!" there was happiness mixed with rage in his voice. "He's alive!"

Error slowly approached the castle door. His soul was thrashing in his ribcage, nearly breaking the ribs. And it was impossible to hide his fear from Nightmare, even though the black skeleton stayed calm on the outside.

He didn't have time to overcome the last few steps to the door as it opened by itself. Slowly, creaking, invitingly it opened the jaws of the hungry predator.

"Welcome…"


	69. Connections

After Error stepped over the doorstep and the door closed behind him, no one said a word. A deafening silence reigned. The tension was so great that only a titanium chainsaw could cut through it.

Inside Nightmare burned the desire to embrace the important monster, but there was equally the desire to break all his bones. Unable to escape the contradictions, the prince of nightmares only looked at the resurrected prisoner.

Error saw the sphere with his son's consciousness wrapped in the tentacles and obediently waited for the nightmare's actions. He decided that he'll take back his child, even if he will have to fuck with this bastard. However, he hoped that there would be no need for that. And Antivirus will fulfill his part of the plan quickly: he'll open the entrance to Nightmare's castle, orientating on the code of the string wrapped around his right wrist, — a part of the prepared scheme for a portal.

Error with difficulty held back from touching the string and to feel the warmth of hope. To believe that he wasn't alone, that there's friends and family standing behind him — treasures that he acquired in the last few years. He's not alone!

Thoughtfully rolling the sphere from tentacle to tentacle, Nightmare pointed at the couch with a nod. And Error submissively sat on the creased seat.

"I thought you were dead," Nightmare broke the silence.

"I'm alive, and not because of your efforts," snapped the black skeleton.

"Whose efforts then?" 

Nightmare walked behind the couch, put his hands on the shoulders of his past ally… prisoner. And that contact nearly made the destroyer whine from terror. He contained himself. But when the tentacles wrapped around his body, he gave a barely audible sob. He clenched his teeth tighter.

"However, that's not important," Nightmare didn't need an answer. The main thing was that the one who he needed was finally with him. "The main thing is that you're here. And our child as well."

Error threw a look full of pain at the sphere. He was losing his composure faster than he wanted. And the octopus's grip was becoming stronger, more powerful, more demanding. Now the nightmare could do anything, demand anything, but he silently enjoyed the rough embrace and the other's fear. Only this fear was very bitter for some reason. 

Inside Nightmare the demand was ringing like an alarm: "Stop! Don't touch! Leave him alone!" But he didn't listen. He continued to drink the bitter emotions and couldn't decide to do anything.

Put him into the basement again? No. That won't lead to anything good. Already hasn't.

But then what should he do? How can he force the destroyer to be with him? Nightmare knew that he wasn't in the state to hold onto the black bastard on a voluntary basis. The only reason the other came here was in the sphere.

"We have a very powerful child," Nightmare didn't look at the sphere without pride. "A little nightmare. He's like me…"

"He'll never be like you!" blurted out Error and shivered: the tentacles wrapped tighter around him.

"Why? If he's my child, then he will be."

"He's more powerful than you. And he won't succumb to darkness."

Error expected to be injured as a minimum for his words, but Nightmare was silently standing behind him and squeezing him in the octopus embrace. If the destroyer had eyes on the back of his head, he'd have seen how an echo of pained emotions reflected on the nightmare's face.

"We'll see," he said, and walked around the couch.

Now they were face to face. The parent which wanted his child back, and the parent which didn't deserve that child. Both had a dark and bitter past and an ocean of mistakes, corpses behind their backs. But one managed to overcome himself, swim up, the other stayed at the bottom, with the weight of responsibility which he couldn't pull out of the water

They were standing at the dead end of a relationship; everything that was left of their past was spite and the child. But if Error was aware of that, then Nightmare was stubbornly throwing himself at the walls of that dead end, expecting to find a way out.

"Error, you should be mine."

It wasn't a question. It was a statement, said by a monster who was sure in his right.

"I shouldn't be anyone's! Especially yours."

"You bore my child…"

Error's magic rolled over his bones in blue sparks, and his voice filled with venom and pain:

"I bore my child, Nightmare! My child! And to him, you're just a set of genetic data and excess weight. Your only participation in his fate is the endless torture!"

"Maybe so, but why did you give birth to him? Did you want to get revenge? To grow a nightmare so that he overthrows me?" 

Error faltered, for that was the guardians' plan. And partly his as well.

When Dust brought him to the guardians, Error was scared, confused and easily succumbed to Ink's manipulation. And then…. And then he accepted his past and his child.

"Anything could be possible. In any case, he's only a child. He's too young. Let him go."

Nightmare only laughed at that.

"And rid myself of such a nice carrot? No! For the sake of this child, you'll jump as high as I tell you to, and sink as low as I want," Nightmare was playfully rolling the sphere on his tentacles until it ended up in his hands. "And if you don't," madness played up in his gaze, "he'll suffer like you've never dreamt before."

The terror on the destroyer's face made the lord of nightmares smile. Yes, in his hands there really was a good carrot for an obedient donkey. But was it for long?

And then Nightmare thought of a truly terrible idea:

"Don't be scared. I'll break you, and you'll submit yourself to me, and then… we'll live like a family," he leaned down and nearly touched the black jaw. "He looked into the eyelights that were shivering from tension and breathed into the other's mouth. "We will conclude the union."

"Have you gone mad?!" Error paled from the realisation that if he doesn't get away, the octopus will find out that his past accomplice already belongs to someone else.

"Maybe I have. I can't love," the nightmare said suddenly. "But I know that love is the same chain that restricts wishes and freedom. So why don't you want to accept my rules, Error? Believe me, I can be gentle when others listen to me. I can be patient, and I used to be like that, I tolerated your behaviour for a very long time. I showed you my loyalty, and I'm showing it to you now."

Nightmare bent down lower, touched the black jaw with his and kissed him.

Error nearly gagged from the kiss. He didn't answer, pressed himself into the back of the couch, sunk his fingers into the upholstery till the fabric cracked. How different this demanding and rough wish was from his husband's patient and gentle treatment! Ink never forced him into intercourse so roughly and could hint and arouse without resorting to dirty methods. And yet Ink didn't have a soul, and he couldn't love either.

Killer, unlike Error, didn't want to hide his disgust and and even interrupted his boss:

"Night, can I leave?" During all of this, the murderer was silent and pretended to be a piece of furniture.

He ignored Error's quick look, that begged him not to leave.

Nightmare reluctantly looked at his most loyal ally and felt waves of offence, sorrow and disgust radiating off him. As if a slap on the face, it made him sober and forced him to pull back from the black skeleton that was swallowed by terror.

"No. You'll be a witness. And hold the child as well."

The sphere made its way to Killer.

"I think this is a bad idea."

But Nightmare simply waved him off and   
thought what promise he should give and what kind to demand in return. Even by force, Error would still be able to accept him. And then their magic will form a connection.

"Error," the nightmare towered above the trembling black skeleton, like a wave that was ready to crash and flatten him. "I promise that I'll be more gentle. I won't enchain and hold onto you… with shackles. While you behave, I won't endanger our child and injure you. Just vow to be obedient and faithful to me and my ideals. Become my servant. And I will become your lord."

Error was silent. He grayed from fear, knowing that it's not long before the lord of nightmares finds out about him having been taken, and no one will be in the state to predict what will happen then. Which means that he has to play for time.

"Antivirus, for the sake of all the gods there are, and the Void, and Virus for a bargain, work faster! Ink… I want to see you again," he thought. He threw a look full of pain at the sphere in Killer's hands, and his soul beat faster. "Let him mutilate me. As long as nothing happens to Radi."

As boldly as he could, Error sneered and asked:

"What makes you think that you will put chains on me so easily, octopus?!"

Instead of answering, the nightmare nodded to Killer and a knife hovered over the sphere, clearly indicating the possible fate for the child if Error doesn't give away his freedom right that minute.

"He's your child. Are you really going to cripple your own heir?"

Something humane flickered in Nightmare's eyes, but it immediately went out.

"First of all, he's a dangerous rival for me. But, yes, he's my child. But if you were able to give birth to this one, you can give birth to another one."

From such a terrifying calculation, a bitter lump formed in Error's throat, and in front of his eyes — a cloudy veil. He simply didn't know what else he could say or do so that the hit didn't land on Radier.

"I want to see my child," he asked huskily, nearly adding "for the last time".

Nightmare brought out an image of a dream, as if a hologram. Radier was sitting surrounded by ripped toys and was making someone akin to Error and Ink out of their parts. This picture made Error let some tears out.

"See, I haven't harmed him," Nightmare said as affectionately as he could and leaned in for another kiss. "I can be kind and patient. Come on, accept me. Vow your faith to me, and I will be kind and patient for you. Only for you."

Error involuntarily grinned. Had he heard something like that instead of the adventures in the basement, then maybe everything would've come together differently.

Nightmare took his silence as a sign of agreement and reached for the glitchy soul, wanting to see the forming of the connection. Only he stumbled onto something unexpected. And he nearly wailed, realising what he was looking at.

"Who?!" it wasn't a voice coming out of his throat, but a roar. His mouth changed into the jaws of a beast, and a hellish flame burned in his eyes.

Nightmare was only once before seen in such rage, when Dream won against him, proving that he was far from a "princess". Everyone remained alive that day only due to miracle and fast running.

"Who dares?!"

Like a tattoo, like initials carved in wood, on the monster's soul the marks of someone else's magic knotted together into tight bonds of support and love.

Error didn't answer. He put out his eyelights and didn't breathe. He wasn't hoping that the others will manage to save him and Radier. Which means that fate was in his own hands once again. Well, this fight is supposed to happen sooner or later. So why not now?


	70. Hatred

Error knew that if he reaches for his eyes, his legs and arms will be tied up. Therefore, he had come up with a trick at home.

As if a bizarre pattern, the black bones were being wrapped by blue strings. And now they flew in all directions in a sweeping wave. Ripping clothes, injuring Nightmare and Killer. The tentacles on his body weakened, and Error burst free from their hold, appeared behind the couch and immediately rolled over to the side. In that place, where he was a second ago, a tentacle was sticking out, and after another moment a knife flew into it.

"Idiot!"

Killer got confused — he didn't think that he'd hit his boss, — so he didn't have time to react and let Error get too close. The knife was thrown, he didn't have time to break the sphere, but he still managed to mess up. He smiled widely and nastily, and threw the sphere in Nightmare's direction. Only he forgot that Error's strings weren't the same as bones. They obey his magic like loyal dogs. The sphere was wrapped in strings and moved into the destroyer's arms.

But strings were strings, and as much as they were dangerous and deadly, they were just as fragile.

Nightmare dealt with the attacking blue mass in a couple of seconds and his death-bringing tentacles hit on Error. But the black skeleton wasn't practicing for nothing: he was preparing for this meeting. Skillfully evading the attacks, he ran up the stairs leading up, then right, in the direction of the occupied rooms. Though, rather in one particular room.

"So, it's under the bed, in the far corner?" the destroyer asked Dust yet again.

"Yes, in the farthest right corner. I taped the teleport on the underside of the bed."

"My right or your right?"

"Enough panicking!" shouted Dust and scribbled over the detailed location of the hiding place. "You should be happy that I took the teleport that was in the table, and completely forgot about that one."

"Is it really there?"

"Error, stop pestering me," Dust rubbed his temples. "If you have a better idea or know someone else who has a teleport hidden in Nightmare's castle, go to them."

The teleport was there. Only no one got to use it. Error only had to turn Dust's bed over and tear the treasured box off its underside, as it became cramped in the room. Nightmare wasn't about to let his victim go.

"Error!" his roar was more like a howl of a beast that was fighting in fury.

No time to use bones and strings? Doesn't matter! There was furniture and skills that were earned by years of fighting. A chair flew at Nightmare, while Error himself — at the window. The glass flew in all directions, the shards sunk into his body, but the black skeleton didn't even try to protect himself from their stings: he was pressing the sphere with his son's consciousness to himself and concentrated on landing. Only he didn't reach the ground. His body was jerked up. The spine crunched under the pressure of the tentacle.

Holding back a cry from the sharp pain, Error frantically looked around. He tried not to think what the lord of nightmares will do with him and his child. But if he can't save himself anymore, then he could try to defend only his child. He tightly wrapped the sphere in strings and threw it as far as he could into the soft bushes.

And now, now nothing was holding him back.

Nightmare felt how his tentacles were being chopped as if for a salad, but still managed to pull the black skeleton through the window. Pulled him in — and tried to throw him away from himself immediately. Error threw himself at the nightmare in rage, it was as if he forgot about magic: he sunk his teeth into the other's hand, while trying to break the skull with his fists. The tentacles that were growing back couldn't help much: the strings were slicing them apart. The lump of pain and rotten resentment pushed Error to hit, to shred, to rip, to kill.

If Killer hadn't shown up, the nightmare's life would've ended.

The bone went through the black bones, knocking the destroyer to the wall and left him there to die, like a bug pinned with a needle.

"Stop!" Nightmare raised his hand with difficulty, and a bone grew in Killer's way. "Don't touch him."

Killer looked at Nightmare: at his body that was sprawled on the floor, at his skull with deep cracks, at the halo of the slime that was sliding off his bones — and moved towards the destroyer again.

"Don't you dare!!!"

"What's so special with this bastard anyway!" Killer shouted in desperation. He was looking at his boss, who had slime continuing to come off him in shreds, and inside him trembled a tightened string of tension. The form, hidden behind the hatred, seemed to be too fragile for the world where the nightmare lived.

Error was hearing their dialogue as if through water, and it didn't interest him anyway: no matter what Nightmare said, no matter what excuses he came up with, it didn't revoke the evil that he had inflicted. The black skeleton was looking at the blue string on his wrist and begged for the others to hurry. Somewhere there, in the bushes near the castle, the sphere with Radier's consciousness was lying — that was the only important thing… and he… he himself was alright. He'll just sleep for a bit.

The guardians burst into the castle. By that time, Nightmare had partly restored himself, but he was weak like never before.

"Curses!" All his hope was on Killer, who pushed his boss behind himself and was ready to defend him. And yet sometime in the past he followed him because he believed that this monster will never need defence, that he was powerful enough to destroy everyone himself.

All those who wished to rip the nightmare's head off had difficulty fitting into the small room. And if the brother was perceived as someone who can reason for himself, then Ink's resurrection kicked the remains of earth from under his feet. Dust, who appeared after him, completely finished off his swollen egotism.

He realised that he didn't lose a fight, but a war.

His followers deserted him. The one who evoked emotions that were opposite to negative ones was broken by him yet again. He didn't know where the child was at all. And the one who was left wouldn't be able to stand against everyone. The battle was supposed to become a bloody slaughter with only one possible outcome.

But in Nightmare's tentacles was the portal: the very one that Error was going to use to escape. What irony! The device was gathering dust under the bed for so long that the battery was nearly used up: there was barely enough energy for one.

He wanted to cry and laugh at the same time. He could leave and start from the beginning. Get a new team of goons, poison the Multiverse and torture its inhabitants.

But does he need that?

"Thank you, Killer, but that is all. I give up," said Nightmare barely audibly and pushed Killer into the open portal.

With no defence, no followers, surrounded by enemies, almost with no strength left, having accepted defeat, Nightmare slid down the wall, but didn't let anyone come near him. A wave of negativity went through the room. Ink just about had time to grab Error and jump out of the window with him, Dust pushed Blue out of the room an instant later, Antivirus covered himself with a protective dome, and only Dream fearlessly reached towards his brother, hoping to have time to stop him.

He didn't have the time.

The castle was pierced by black thorns that seeped with negativity. They grew out of the foundations, the walls, the floors and, as if trees, grew sharp branches. They literally swallowed all the stone and everyone who didn't have the time to escape. They covered the lord of nightmares from enemies and friends. Pierced him. Lowered him into sleep.

"Nightmare!!!"

Dream was thrown back through a wall, broke a couple of his bones, but he continued the attempts to get to his brother. Because he knew how suicidal this attack was. For his brother dealt a blow with his raw strength, not leaving anything for himself.

While Dream was trying to reach his brother, the other guardians were searching for the sphere and trying to heal Error's wounds. And if they were getting anywhere with the healing, then they couldn't find the sphere.

"Found it!" Blue found it in the bushes by the castle. But, regardless of the strings, it was damaged.


	71. In Front Of The Abyss

For the first time, Ink felt how the earth was being kicked from beneath his feet. Too many monsters that were important to him were on the edge. So even his own soulless consciousness gave him a hit, and he nearly fell into apathy, running between the beds of his son and husband.

Error didn't come to his senses for the second day. Radier's consciousness was damaged, and he fell into a coma. The others could communicate with him through Dream, but the keeper of good dreams spent more time standing by his brother's bed, who, even if he was alive, then only thanks to miracle. That "miracle" was called Reaper, and he was sitting by the bed of the prince of negativity with a cup of coffee. He defended himself with the excuses of laziness and rest.

Antivirus literally made himself at home in Dreamtale. He even moved the bulb with sleeping Virus in it there. He was getting ready for the absurd operation that could kill all of them. Namely, for the reset of Dreamtale.

For guarantee, that he wasn't making another trap, on Virus's neck and his own were inky nooses, which could tighten at any moment and painfully slowly cut off their heads.

"I hate you," admitted Antivirus with a bitter smile to Ink, who approached him.

"I know," said the guardian of the universes emotionlessly and admitted: "I hate myself as well."

"Do you understand that what we're doing could destroy the Multiverse?"

"Yes. I understand."

"And even so…"

"And even so. Because if Error and Radier die, I'll refuse to bother with worlds anymore. And I'm sure that that'll give us the same result. Like this, we have a chance to save at least Radier. And Nightmare, possibly," he mumbled the next part as quietly as he could. "Even though I didn't want to save him at all."

Antivirus grunted and continued to work with the code. Ink returned to the hospital ward and sat down between the two beds.

"Your turn to watch over Antivirus," he said to Dream.

"Ink, do you really believe that Dreamtale's reset will save them all?"

"I want to believe that."

The keeper of dreams nodded, stroked his brother's face again, hesitantly kissed Reaper and left into the portal.

Ink escorted his friend to the portal and, sighing deeply, turned to face Reaper.

Death was sitting by the wall and threw painfully careful looks at his family. And Ink couldn't decide to ask the reason for those looks. He was afraid to hear that, besides Nightmare, Error's and Radier's times were running out.

The guardian wanted to talk with Reaper without an audience for a long time, and only now did he get that opportunity. He thought that he could arrange something with the god of death.

"Reaper, listen…"

"No," Reaper sharply cut off the speech that hadn't even started. "I'm already decorated with promises like a festive tree with lights. Don't, Ink. Just be quiet and wait."

Reaper put his hands in front of himself in the desperate attempt to defend himself, as if the guardian was going to beat him up instead of talking. He couldn't believe that he had gotten himself so deeply and irrevocably stuck in what he always kept farther away from. In relationships and responsibilities which they bring. In the attempt to please everyone who was dear and close to him. Who knew that there would become so many of those?

When his relationship with Dream burned with a bright flame, Error came to him.

The destroyer knew of the gods' principles. And the most principled of them was the god of death. Even Papyrus never went for concessions. If that monster was supposed to die today, he dies. Tears and pleadings were pointless. What is there to say about Reaper, who was considered the more severe out of the brothers?

Though, when they started to socialize more closely, Error started to realise that even such a type had softer sides to him. Maybe, he wouldn't have taken Geno away. Maybe, he would've asked his brother. And maybe, if the other hadn't wished to return to his native world, then death would've evaded all those he knew, but he would've found a way to keep his loved one alive. But Geno didn't want that. He was tired of living in pain. Now, all that could be said to him was this:

"I hope we don't meet anymore."

But that was for his loved ones. Then there was him — the destroyer of worlds with his noisy family. Was it worth it to stutter about indulgence? Was it worth it to plead?

Error decided to try. For it would be better to regret what he had done, rather than what he could've done but didn't.

"Reaper, I want to ask you about something," he caught him heading out of the Save Screen.

Reaper felt uneasy. Everyone asks death for the same thing.

"Soon, we will bring the guardians' plan to life and resurrect Dreamtale. But I'm afraid of something that might happen in the process. And I want to take precautions. Reaper, I know that it's very important for you to stick to your rules and the balance of life and death is on you, but I ask you for your service."

"Error, you know…"

"I do know. Listen to me. If my son suddenly will be on the verge of death, could you take me away instead of him?"

Reaper's eyelights went out. He expected to hear the usual pleading of not taking anyone away or the request to postpone it, but to offer yourself in instead…

"Are you sure you want to ask me about that? Your life, you know, is valued by others as well. The balance of the Multiverse depends on you as well. I don't think we'll quickly find someone to take your place. Like a father, I understand you well, but as a god I ask you to think over your request more carefully. Error, if the balance will tilt, our Multiverse will die. You won't save your son with that."

Where are you, formidable destroyer? Before the god of death there is a parent beaten by sorrow, who tries to find a way to save his dear child.

"Reaper, you understand."

"I do," sighed death and spread his wings. "Listen, I need to think. Alright? But that's how it'll have to be if there isn't another way, I'll swap your times. But I ask you again, you think as well, Error! How will your son feel about the knowledge that you died instead of him?"

Reaper then flew away, and Error didn't approach him with that absurd request anymore. But the reaper didn't have time to relax, as the destroyer's son decided to rock his already rocked nerves.

"Uncle Reap?"

"What do you need, kid?"

Radier was looking at Reaper, and determination burned in his eyes. He wanted to ask something, but not what the god of death thought he would.

"I have a request."

"Go ahead, child."

"That, what's meant to happen," hesitated Radier and frowned a bit. "I can disappear, yes?"

Reaper nodded:

"It's possible."

"I see," the child became a bit sadder.

That was surprising: Reaper thought that Radier would be more emotional after such news. But instead of that, the little nightmare simply sighed and turned to the other with the unusual request:

"Then I want to ask you. If I'll be no more, can you give my parents another child? You and Life promised them a gift, yes? So will you give it to them?"

Reaper nearly dropped his scythe, but pulled himself together and even smiled:

"Oh, child," Reaper trailed his shivering knuckles on Radier's head. "You're irreplaceable. Your parents love you precisely. But you won't die. I promise I'll look after you," he grinned. "Otherwise Shino will never forgive me!"

Radier gave Reaper a strange empty look, nodded and ran away back to play with Shino. The god of death walked up to a wall and hit his skull on it a couple of times in the hope of enlightening his brain:

"I already gave two promises. Life is going to be laughing really loudly when she hears of this."

And now he holds Nightmare's life so that Dream didn't die of grief, Error's life so that Ink had something to protect the Multiverse for, and Radier's so that Error didn't go crazy when he wakes up, and also so that Shino wouldn't cry.

"When did it become so hard to live?"

Ink sighed deeply and hid his face in his hands. The paints' effects had faded, but he felt like he drank too much blue and the feeling of the nearing end of happiness didn't let go.

Time went by. And soon the plan will be complete. And then it will become clear whether those that Reaper holds will survive. Whether Dreamtale will survive. Whether their Multiverse will survive.


	72. Failure

Radier was lonely. Because of everything that has happened, his mind seemed to be separated from his body. And, regardless of the power of that mind, it couldn't return into his body. All that was left to do was stay in the disgusting state between dreams and reality. He couldn't go here, nor there.

At least uncle Dream could visit him. He promised that everything will soon be alright, and Radier believed him. But his inner awareness promised new trouble. And so the little nightmare would simply sigh and ask to say hello to Shino for him, who couldn't stay still and ran around Reapertale like a little hurricane. He asked for his parents to not worry too much.

"Of course, little one," Dream smiled sadly. He didn't say that he couldn't pass anything on to Error.

That's how days stretched on, until Dream once said:

"Well, are you ready to become a guardian?"

"Is it time already?" the child nervously fidgeted in a conjured chair.

"Yes. It will help you get better. You will become part of Dreamtale, part of the balance."

His uncle's words didn't add to his calmness. Radier felt how, with the acceptance of the post of a guardian, he won't be able to completely feel like a child and enjoy a carefree life. A lot will change for him, and it's not a fact that those changes will be pleasant.

"Will it hurt?"

"No. You'll be here, then simply wake up as a guardian."

"Okay," there was no other choice, for he wanted to return to the corporeal world, to those he loved. "Will mama and papa be there?"

Dream swallowed. He could only hope that Error will be alright.

"Yes, of course."

Radier unwittingly thought of the one who kept him captive:

"What about that octopus man? What will happen to him?"

Dream sighed heavily. He could only pray about his fate.

"You know, he had done a lot of bad things. But I hope that everything will be alright with him as well. What about you?"

Radier felt as if he was cornered. He still didn't know how he should treat that scary monster, who he looked like, who was his second parent. Who turned his life upside down.

"I wanted to hurt him," admitted Radier. "I thought that if he's no more, then everything will become better for everyone. I thought that he was just evil and scary. But when I talked with him for a while, I realised that he was confused and sad. So I hope that everything will be okay with him as well, uncle Dream."

Dream smiled at the child's honesty and hugged his nephew.

"Everything will be alright for us all. Believe in that."

The preparation was quick and thorough. The code was checked over and over, made more stable. The future participants of the action were getting ready morally. Finally, Antivirus announced:

"I've done all I can. You can begin now."

The empty Ink left Error to be looked after by Blue's brother, who asked to participate in the bustle around the balance, pulled Nightmare by the scruff off his bed and dragged him to Dreamtale. They were already awaited there by the tense Dream with Radier in his arms, concerned Blue with Dust who was no less tense, twitching Reaper with Shino who was no less nervous and glum Antivirus with the bulb where Virus was resting.

They glanced at each other silently. Each one of them knew that they're not just putting themselves at risk, but the whole Multiverse as well.

"Are you sure?" Antivirus tried to talk them out of it for the last time.

"We have decided everything a long time ago. And if it means risking everything to make the Multiverse better, we will risk everything," said Dream.

"Egoists," spat Antivirus.

He was right. Everyone who had gathered there had their own reason to take the risk. Ink wanted his husband and child to be healthy again. Dream wanted his brother back. Blue and Dust wanted to make the Multiverse more kind-hearted than it was now. And Reaper… He held each monster's hourglass in turn and eloquently looked at those around him. He hoped that he wouldn't have to take anyone away today. Shino was circling around like a little piranha and wanted to practice the skill of taking away on Antivirus and Virus.

Having sighed deeply and holding the child tighter, Dream moved to the centre of Dreamtale: to the remains of the tree. Following him was Ink. He continued to raggedly drag Nightmare by the scruff, but no one cares to point out his carelessness. They only had to look into his empty soulless eyes and even Dream bit his tongue.

If the guardian hadn't freed himself from emotions, they would've torn him to pieces. That's how he had to leave his loved one in someone else's responsibility, and bother with the one he hates instead.

And a sinister feeling wouldn't leave him as well.

Nothing could go so smoothly! Not in this life!

Nothing did go smooth.

When the three took their places around the tree stump — Radier in the centre, Dream and Nightmare at the sides, — suddenly, one of those who were asleep woke up. And it was, unfortunately, not Error, not Radier and not even Nightmare. 

"Time to add some adjustments to your plan," heard the guardians before everything rippled before their eyes.

No, everything was alright with their sight: a glitch happened in Dreamtale…


	73. Failure 2

It became impossible to breathe. The air turned into something else and stuck in their throats as a dry lump. And then the world's code rippled again, the space around them seemed to become a viscous foam in which everyone who could still move became stuck in, and then the foam hardened.

Virus wasn't as weak as everyone thought he was when they managed to take him prisoner. They didn't know that being taken prisoner was just part of the plan. Virus, like all Sanses, was lazy, but also very smart. He didn't want to waste energy on breaking through the defences, battling the guardians, so he came up with a way to take them all at once and by surprise at the most vulnerable moment.

He attacked when everyone least expected it. He snaked into the world's code and knocked its settings off-balance. There was plenty of time, for the foolish kind Antivirus had mercy on him as usual. He didn't even bother to check whether the prisoner regained his consciousness. Did he find a breach? Did he pick a hole in it? He was too busy preparing for the changing of Dreamtale's code and didn't notice anything. Fool!

"Your kindness will stick in your throat like a stake," said Virus, stepping over the kind fool. "I will make sure of that."

However, it's not his eternal rival he needed to take care of, but the guardian of universes. Ink was tougher than many others and kept his consciousness, but he was stuck in the treacle of the changed reality and couldn't fight back.

Virus had no intention of sparing him.

"Sorry, but you will have to leave the world of the living for a couple of days, or better — months."

Ink clenched his teeth in powerless anger. He was trying to break free so hard that he broke a couple of bones. Unfortunately, that did nothing. All that Ink could do now was speak for the others:

"Don't touch the children," he said, stopping his attempts to get out of the stone prison.

Virus held out a long "Hm", nodded to his thoughts and whistled to his creatures. The last things that Ink saw were sharp-toothed jaws.

Admiring the view of the other's agony, and waiting for the enemy to turn into a puddle of ink, Virus turned to the tree stump. He was looking at the child and the brothers, who were all lying on the stump, with badly hidden disappointment:

"Such power — and so little ambition," said Virus, and turned away. He needed to begin to strengthen himself in this world, so that he could fill the Multiverse with viruses as quickly as possible.

He was immensely proud of himself, for he could effortlessly get rid of everyone who gets in the way of his plans. Error probably wouldn't wake up from his painful unconsciousness. Nightmare didn't seem like he wanted to get back into this world either. Radier was stuck between dreams and reality. And everyone else was here, in his deadly embrace, and they don't have the time to find a way to stop him. Soon, all of the Multiverse will be made "better", soon he will create an ideal home for himself. Meaning, he won.

Or so he thought.

"Uncle Error, wake up! There is trouble!" he heard someone call him.

"Papa? Papa, someone is interfering!"

"Error, I think I died again. But I hope that everyone else is luckier."

Voices. Familiar voices woke him up. But they didn't sound as if they were coming from the outside, but from the inside, and nudged him to surface from the depth.

Weak fires lit up in the black skeleton's eye sockets. With difficulty, he managed to restrain his dizziness and remain conscious.

Where was he?

He turned his head and saw Swap Papyrus, who was nervously twirling a cigarette in his shaking hands. Because Papyrus wasn't looking at Error, the quiet question became completely unexpected for the nervous skeleton.

"Where is... everyone?"

"Oh, gods of the underground!" Papyrus jumped and turned to the destroyer. "Are you awake?" he asked, as if doubting it. Truthfully, he was simply very confused.

"You didn't answer. Where is Ink and my child? Where is everyone?" with every word, the voice obeyed Error more and more, and he almost wasn't croaking anymore. But there were plenty more glitches and ripples in his voice than usual.

"They began to fulfill their plan and are now in Dreamtale," the tall skeleton pulled himself together.

Upon hearing this, Error began to fidget in the attempts to get up.

"Hey! It's not time for you to get up yet!"

"Fuck off!" snapped Error. He tried to push away Papyrus, but couldn't.

"You're as weak as a kitten. Where do you think you're going in this state? What will you be able to do?"

Error was stubbornly growling and didn't stop his attempts to get up. Finally, he managed to.

"I will do everything I can. I'm sure that something has happened there. And that they need me."

Error swayed, but Papyrus kept him on his feet.

"Then I hope you aren't against company," he said. "All I was doing here was guarding you. I'll continue doing my important task, heh."

"Basically, you need an excuse to help Blue and join the bacchanalia of the battle for the Multiverse?"

"Something like that."

Who knows what's waiting for them in Dreamtale? Extra help might not go unneeded.

The portal opened with extreme unwillingness. Not only because of the weakness of the one opening it. There was the impression that it was as if someone on the other side was holding the door and didn't want to let anyone in.

It finally became clear: something terrible had happened.

The two skeletons left the hospital ward to join either the collapse or saving of the universal balance.


End file.
